Wildlife sightings for 4th August 2024
Common and Green Sandpipers, Hobby hunting Sand Martins, and migrant warblers across the reserve
1 Common Sandpiper - main lake
1 Snipe - scrape
2 Green Sandpiper - scrape, main lake
4 Common Tern - reservoir lagoon, main lake
11+ Chiffchaff - wildside, sheltered lagoon
3 Willow Warbler - wildside, reedbed
1 Hobby - over
Cetti's Warblers and Reed Warblers can be found in the reedbed and any other reed fringes. Look for Sedge Warblers at the scrubby edges of the marsh, reservoir lagoon and main lake. Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs are active in the scrublands of wildside, south route and sheltered lagoon.
Dragonflies: (late July survey) Southern Hawker, Norfolk Hawker, Emperor, Brown Hawker, Black-tailed Skimmer, Lesser Emperor, Ruddy Darter, Common Darter, Small red-eyed Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Red-eyed Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Willow Emerald Damselfly.
Butterflies: (late July surveys) Comma, Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Marbled White, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Large Skipper, Small Skipper, Essex Skipper, Small Copper, Common Blue, Holly Blue.
Flowering plants: Tufted Vetch, Field Scabious, Knapweed, Creeping Thistle, Spear Thistle, Marsh Woundwort, Yellow Bartsia, Yellow Loosestrife, White Water-lily, Yellow Water-lily, Meadow Vetchling, Meadow Rue, Lesser Centaury, Bristly Ox-tongue, Hawkbit sp., Hawkweed Ox-tongue, Meadowsweet, Burdock, Flowering Rush, Sow-thistle, Scentless Mayweed, Pineapple Mayweed, Cut-leaved Cranesbill, Dove's-foot Cranesbill, Nipplewort, Great Willowherb, Monkey-flower, Yarrow, Wild Carrot, Wild Basil, Bird's-foot Trefoil, Hop Trefoil, Spotted Medick, Oxeye Daisy, Cat's Ear, Smooth Hawk's-beard, Ragwort, Groundsel, Coltsfoot, Teasel, Lady's Bedstraw, Hedge Bedstraw, Honeysuckle, Selfheal and many more.