Recent Sightings 22nd-28th October

Highlights: Redwing, Curlew, Wigeon, Sparrowhawk, Crystal Brain Jelly Fungus

We have been delighted to see the return of Redwing to the site over the past week, and we hope to see the numbers increase as they migrate south from Russia and Scandinavia for the winter. They can be distinguished by their creamy stripe above the eye and the red-orange patches along their flanks. They feed on berries and worms.

Thursday and Friday mornings bird counts at the British Steel hide saw winter waders with over 200 Curlew, 300 Black-tailed Godwit, and 100 Wigeon. As well as Little Egrets, Lapwing, Cormorants, Spoonbill, and a small flock of Starlings. Over at the lagoon, a Sparrowhawk was seen flying overhead. Flocks of Long-tailed Tits have been seen flitting around trees around the site, as they look for insects and seeds to eat. They are easily recognised by their long tail and their white, black, and pink colouring.

This week the reserves team have been tackling the willow encroachment on the East Scrapes, coppicing this years growth and then making dead hedges from the brash piles, which the resident cows on this area were more than happy to help prune afterwards. These hedges will provide nesting habitat for passerines, such as Wrens, Robins, and Dunnocks, as well as sources of invertebrate food such as spiders on webs. In addition, butterflies may use the structure to hibernate.

The weather is still quite mild this week, with Migrant Hawker and Common Darter Dragonflies still being spotted on sunnier days, although the leaves are starting to change colour and are beginning to shed. Despite the milder weather, fungi is being spotted around the Northern Loop of the reserve, with recent sightings including Jelly Rot, Common Ganoderma, Crystal Brain Jelly, and Cowpat Gem.

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