Wildlife Sightings for 31st July 2023
Hobby hunting over the reserve. 3 Green Sandpiper on marsh
3 Green Sandpiper - marsh
3 Common Tern - main lake
1 Great Crested Grebe - reservoir lagoon
1 Hobby - hunting over site
2 Little Grebe + juvs - wader scrape hide
Long Tailed Tit flock moving through wildside, followed by some young Blue Tits and also a pair of Chiffchaff. Good number of Lapwing all sat on the main lake rafts, huddling in the wind. Also, out on the main lake Black Headed Gulls have started to return to the reserve. Lots of Grey Herons stalking the marsh, hunting from the low branches on the sheltered lagoon and on the edges of the ponds in wildside. 1st year Pied Wagtails feeding on the gravelly main lake islands.
Odonata: Common Darter, Ruddy Darter, Migrant Hawker, Norfolk Hawker, Brown Hawker, Four-spotted Chaser, Emperor, Lesser Emperor, Black-tailed Skimmer, Blue-tailed/Azure/Common Blue/Willow Emerald Damselflies, Banded Demoiselle.
Butterflies: Peacock, Comma, Small White, Large White, Green-veined White, Brimstone, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Holly Blue, Common Blue, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Marbled White, Small Skipper, Large Skipper, Essex Skipper, Gatekeeper, Small Copper.
Bees and other insects: Red Mason Bee, Hairy-footed Flower Bee, Buff-tailed Bumblebee, Tree Bumblebee, Common Carder Bee, Bee-fly, Hover Fly sp,, Rustic Sailor Beetle, Red-headed Cardinal Beetle, Thick-legged Flower Beetle, Stag Beetle, Jersey Tiger Moth, Cinnabar Moth, Hummingbird Hawk-Moth, Six-Spot Burnet.
