Wildlife sightings for 20th April 2012
8 Redshank - scrape (0810-0930hrs) 1 Shelduck - gull ridge on main lake 1 Little Egret - marsh 3 Swallow - flew over main lake 23 Sand Martin - scrap [...]
8 Redshank - scrape (0810-0930hrs)
1 Shelduck - gull ridge on main lake
1 Little Egret - marsh
3 Swallow - flew over main lake
23 Sand Martin - scrape, marsh
2 Sedge Warbler - main lake
6 Reed Warbler - main lake, reedbed
1 Lesser Whitethroat - entrance area
3 Willow Warbler - south route, wildside
5 Blackcap - wildside, sheltered lagoon, south route
Recent bird highlights: Peregrine, Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit, Jack Snipe, Redshank, Green Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Common Tern, Short-eared Owl, Yellow Wagtail, Wheatear and Swallow.
With spring in the air the Cetti’s Warbler are becoming more vocal with at least 8 birds to be found across the reserve. Many Chiffchaffs have arrived along with smaller numbers of Willow Warbler, Blackcap and Garden Warbler. Goldcrests can be heard singing away by the Trappers Lodge cabin in World Wetlands along with many other common songsters like Blackbird, Wren, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Song Thrush and Chaffinch.
Lapwing are nesting on the main lake/scrape shingle islands and grazing marsh fields, and performing territorial flight displays. Great Crested Grebe and Little Grebe are displaying regularly on the sheltered lagoon. The first few Sand Martins have also arrived (mid-March).
The marsh will remain wet through early spring to attract a host of visiting waders and other wildfowl, as well as Yellow Wagtail and Wheatear. Look out for possible Water Pipit on the flooded field edges. The wader scrape is now being drained and wetted on a weekly basis to attract feeding waders.
Moths: Common Quaker, Hebrew Character, Chestnut, Clouded Drab, Esperia sulpurella, Epermenia chaerophyllea, Powdered Quaker, Light Brown Apple Moth, Early Grey.
Flowering plants: Cowslip, Cuckooflower, Cow Parsley, Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Wild Cherry, Wood Anemone, Ramsons, Common Mouse-ear, Field Wood-rush, Marsh Marigold, Snake’s Head Fritillary, Red Dead-nettle, Primrose, Oxford Ragwort.
Water Voles: 5 seen in world wetlands, waterlife and wildside, Reed Swamp exhibit is a good bet, near the sluices.
Butterflies and insects: Comma, Brimstone, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Orange-tip, Holly Blue, Speckled Wood, Small White, Common Bee-fly, 7-spot Ladybird, Large Red Damselfly.
Reptiles: 75% refugia on the western side of the reserve had a Slow Worm underneath. 8 adult and 2 juvenile Common Lizards recorded from 8 locations in waterlife, wildside and pond zone area.
