Wildlife sightings for 7th December 2016
1 Jack Snipe - marsh
7 Snipe - marsh, main lake
2 Bittern - main lake NW shore (near the Headley Hide)
52 Lapwing - main lake
4 Pintail - main lake, marsh, scrape
1 Water Pipit - main lake island and on the marsh
11 Redwing - entrance area
November bird highlights: Bittern, Jack Snipe, Curlew, Dunlin, Yellow-legged Gull, Goldeneye, Marsh Harrier, Kingfisher, Peregrine, Siskin, Redpoll, Skylark, Water Pipit, Stonechat.
Good numbers of wintering wildfowl have arrived with Shoveler counts regularly 100+. The grazing marsh is being kept fairly wet to attract migrant waders like Black-tailed Godwit and Snipe, and migrating passerines may turn up anywhere on the grazed banks and fencelines. Water Pipit, Rock Pipit and Meadow Pipit have all been seen on the marsh fields this autumn. Look out for interesting migrant Warblers or Firecrest that could turn up among the mixed Tit flocks, particularly among the Willow growth. Bitterns have been found mostly along the north shore of the main lake since mid-November.
Fungi: (found on early October foray) Orange bonnet (nr Otter enclosure); Brown birch bolete; Candlesnuff; Hazel bracket; Cushion bracket (on old cherry plum); Brown roll-rim (Wooded Wetlands area); Earthfan species – Thelephora penicillata (nationally uncommon); Deceiver (nr reeds opposite willow wigwams); Bleached brittlegill; Chicken of the woods (swamp forest on old bog oak from Martin Mere); Beefsteak fungus; Grayling bracket and Smoky bracket (both on left through wildside gates); Conocybe ‘conecap’ (on left through wildside gates); Purple bramble rust (Summer Route); Yellowing curtain crusts; Blushing rosette; Giant puffballs; Pancake crust (on bridge near turn off to Wildside hide. nationally rare); Bearded milkcap (Wetland Living area and just before Succession Trail); Birch mazegill (on birch stump in log garden); Turkey tails (near Dulverton Hide bridge); Meadow puffballs; Oak mazegill (on bench near Wader Scrape hide); Milkcap species Lactarius controversus (nationally uncommon and associated with willows in damp / wet woodland. only our second ever record); Fairy Inkcap.
