Wildlife sightings for 31st May 2022
Hobby on wader scrape and Garden Warbler in world wetlands
Birds:
Hobby - wader scrape
Garden Warbler - world wetlands
2 Common Tern - main lake
6 Teal (5 brood)
2 Oystercatcher - main lake
3 Kestrel
1 Peregrine Falcon
1 Buzzard
2 Reed Bunting Pair nest building - from Peacock Tower
Reed Warbler (70 singing birds), Cetti's Warbler (23), Reed Bunting (6), Sedge Warbler (4), Chiffchaff (3) and Blackcap (20+) all singing around the reserve. Dragonflies and Damselflies are on the wing or emerging and many summer flowers are popping up around the reserve, including orchids. Lots of Hirundinidae and Apodidae filling the skies!
Hobby have been seen regularly on the reserve over the past few weeks, often scanning from high before diving down to swoop over the main lake or grazing marsh, however this mornings Hobby was perched on top of the Sand Martin bank! Hobby are a migrating falcon and arrive in the UK in summer, often following the migration of prey species such as Sand Martins and Swifts. They also time their migration to coincide with the emergence of Dragonflies in the UK and Northern Europe and dragonflies will make up for a substantial part of this species diet. If you are visiting the reserve keep your eyes to the sky and you may well be rewarded.
Flowering plants: Great Burnet, Salad Burnet, Bee Orchid, Southern Marsh Orchid, Pyramidal Orchid, Cut-leaved Crane's-bill, Dove's-foot Crane's-bill, Goat's Beard, Yellow Flag Iris, Yellow Rattle, Common Bistort, Jack-by-the-hedge, Bugle, Herb Robert, Cuckoo-flower, Ox Eye Daisy, Rowan, Wild Cabbage, Dogwood, Guelder Rose, Bramble, Common Vetch, Dog Rose, Elder, Common Mallow, Birds-foot Trefoil, Grass Vetchling, Deptford Pink, Beaked Hawksbeard, Smooth Hawksbeard, Creeping Cinquefoil, Red Campion, White Water Lily.
Butterflies: Brimstone, Small White, Large White, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Peacock, Holly Blue, Common Blue, Speckled Wood, Painted Lady, Small Heath, Red Admiral.
Dragonflies/Damselflies: Four-spotted Chaser, Broad-Bodied Chaser, Black-Tailed Skimmer, Hairy Dragonfly, Blue Tailed Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Banded Demoiselle, Large Red Damselfly, Emerald Damselfly.
Other insects: Alder Leaf Beetle, Poplar Leaf Beetle, Wasp Beetle, Thick-Legged Flower Beetle, Buff-tailed Bumblebee, Ruby-Tailed Wasp, Green Lacewing, Red-headed Cardinal Beetle, Cinnabar Moth, Yellow Underwing, Mother Shipton, Yellow-barred Longhorn.
