Wildlife sightings for 7th February 2017
1 Jack Snipe - marsh
2 Shelduck - main lake
1 Bittern - main lake North shore
6 Pintail - main lake
1 Blackcap (female) - sheltered lagoon
2 Water Pipit - grazing marsh
4 Redwing - entrance area
January bird highlights: Bittern, Firecrest, Brent Goose, Jack Snipe, Black-Tailed Godwit, Yellow-legged Gull, Caspian Gull, Buzzard, Peregrine, Water Pipit, Stonechat, Siskin, Kingfisher, Water Rail, Waxwing, Bearded Tit.
Good numbers of wintering wildfowl have arrived with 192 Shoveler birds on the 1st December being yet another nationally significant count. The grazing marsh and wader scrape are being kept fairly wet to attract waders like Black-tailed Godwit, Jack Snipe and Common Snipe, as well as Teal, Pintail, Shoveler, Wigeon, Gadwall and Greylag Geese. Water Pipit, Meadow Pipit and Stonechat have all been seen on the marsh fields in the last few months. 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, with a total of 6 birds present by mid-January (representing 1% of the national population). Bearded Tit has been spotted on the main lake N shore as well as in the main reedbed. A drake Tufted Duck x Pochard hybrid remains on the sheltered lagoon or main lake. The shrill call of the Water Rail may be heard from many patches of reed across the site, and there are at least 10 birds present this winter.
Fungi: Silver Leaf Fungus, Blushing Rosette, Frosty Fibrecaps, Frosty Bonnet, Earpick Fungus.
Water Voles: one heard munching in the sedge beds in wildside (mid-January) not far from the wildside gates. Also seen regularly in the Reed Swamp area in World Wetlands collection.
