Wildlife sightings for 31st August 2018
1 Wheatear - marsh
1 Greenshank - main lake p.m
4 Yellow Wagtail - marsh(3), and flying over SE(1)
1 Garden Warbler - Dulverton Hide
2 Blackcap - sheltered lagoon, south route
35 House Martin
6 Swallow
1 Garganey - scrape
1 Red Kite - flew N a.m.
August bird highlights: Shelduck, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Snipe, Common Tern, Garganey, Marsh Harrier, Peregrine, Buzzard, Red Kite, Hobby, Little Egret, Whinchat, Yellow Wagtail, Pied Flycatcher, Wheatear.
Sand Martins had occupied 75% of the nest chambers by early August. Pochards raised 2 broods; Gadwall 4 broods on the reservoir lagoon and scrape; Little Grebe 2 broods on the main lake. Common Terns juveniles appeared, having bred elsewhere but settled here for feeding. Post-breeding migration started up in July with wader species like Common Sandpiper dropping in, as well as Teal, Shoveler, Garganey and Yellow Wagtail. Warblers increased in number mid August, using the scrubby Willow tree blocks for feeding.
Dragonflies: (mid-July survey) Emperor Dragonfly, Black-tailed Skimmer, Broad-bodied Chaser, Large Red Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Banded Demoiselle, Red-eyed Damselfly, Lesser Emperor Dragonfly, Brown Hawker, Small Red-eyed Damselfly, Southern Hawker, Migrant Hawker, Common Darter, Ruddy Darter.
Bees: (end-July survey) Common Mini-miner, Large-headed Resin, Patchwork Leafcutter, Yellow Loosestrife, Wool-carder, Green-eyed Flower, Buff-tailed Bumble, Small Garden Bumble, Early Bumble, Red-tailed Bumble, Common Carder, Honey.
Other insects: (end-July survey) Black and Yellow Longhorn Beetle, Green Shield Bug, Dock Bug, Stilt Bug, Roesel’s Bush-cricket, Field Grasshopper, Long-winged Conehead, Lesser Stag Beetle, Summer Chafer, Common Red Soldier Beetle, Swollen-thighed Beetle, False Blister Beetle species, 7-Spot Ladybird, Harlequin Ladybird, 14-Spot Ladybird, Viburnum Leaf Beetle, Willow Leaf Beetle, Garden Spider, Wasp Spider, Nursery Web Spider, Flower Crab Spider.
Reptiles: young Grass Snakes and Slow Worms found 25th August; young and adult Common Lizards in the long grass by wooden benches and
