Grasshopper warbler, Common sandpiper & Osprey

Throughout the week we have had an influx of invertebrate life grace the site with three really interesting species seen: the ruby tiger moth, drinker moth caterpillar and a water scorpion spotted in one of our natterjack pools near the Saltcot hide. In bird news summer migrants have been seen out on the reserve including the standard chiffchaff, willow warbler and blackcap. A plethora of waders have been seen on the borders of our ponds and scrapes mainly at the Folly including a common sandpiper, a golden plover flock were seen on Saturday and roughly 85 black tailed godwit. To top things off, an osprey was seen feasting on a fish from the Saltcot tower on Sunday.

Saturday 15^th April

Folly Pond

• Black-tailed godwit
• Redshank
• Gadwall

Sunday 16^th April

Peter Scott Trail

• Mouse
• Chiffchaff
• Reed bunting

Back Pond Hide

• Wren
• Whooper swan
• Mute swan

Folly Pond

• Black-tailed godwit
• Red shank
• Shelduck
• Gadwall pair
• Oystercatcher
• Teal
• Shoveler
• Canada goose
• Whooper swan

Paddock

• Reed bunting
• House martins

Teal Pond

• Blackcap
• Little grebe
• Cormorant

Avenue

• Chiffchaff

Avenue Tower

• Barnacle geese
• Pink-footed geese
• Shelduck
• Lapwing

Feeder by visitor centre

• Leveret

Whooper Pond

• Female goosander

Powhillon

• Barn owl
• Fox

Monday 17^th April

Folly Pond

• Sand martins

Saltcot Merse Observatory

• Pink-footed goose
• Drinker moth caterpillar

Tuesday 18^th April

Back Pond

• Grey heron
• Female goosander

Wednesday 19^th April

Powhillon

• Grasshopper warbler

Thursday 20^th April

Saltcot Merse Observatory

• Water scorpion

Peter Scott Observatory

• Sand martin
• Swallow

Folly Pond

• Common sandpiper

Friday 21^st April

Courtyard

• Ruby tiger moth

Saturday 22nd April

Whooper pond

• Goosander

Newfield hide

• Barnacle geese

Sharp's lookout

• Golden plover
• Lapwing
• Teal
• Brown hare

Saltcot Observatory

• Barnacle geese
• Shelduck
• Roe deer
• Goldfinch
• Greenfinch
• Pied wagtail
• Grey heron

Sunday 23rd April

Peter Scott Trail

• great spotted woodpecker
• chiffchaff
• willow warbler
• black cap

Paddocks

• reed bunting
• bullfinch
• song thrush
• black cap
• willow warbler

Sharp's lookout

• black tailed godwit
• shelduck
• oystercatcher

Teal pond hide

• little grebe
• gadwall
• mute swans
• kestrel

Peter Scott Observatory

• whooper swans
• goosander

Avenue Tower

• lapwing

Campbell hide

• black headed gull
• gadwall
• wigeon
• teal

Saltcot Observatory

• buzzard
• osprey
• stonechat
• linnet
• twite
• barnacle geese
• pink footed geese
• sand martin

Courtyard

• swallow
• house martin

Feature photograph by James Lees.

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