Second Wood Sandpiper of the Spring
Little Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank and juvenile Lapwing all showing well.
1 Wood Sandpiper - grazing marsh West side
1 Black-tailed Godwit - wader scrape
2 Little Ringed Plover - main lake
1 Common Sandpiper - main lake
4 Lapwing juv's - wader scrape
1 Lapwing chick - grazing marsh West side
3 Redshank - wader scrape, grazing marsh
1 Common Tern - main lake
1 Shelduck - wader scrape
May bird highlights: Shelduck, Garganey, Snipe, Jack Snipe, Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper, Dunlin, Black-Tailed Godwit, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Peregrine, Kestrel, Buzzard, Red Kite, Common Tern, Iceland Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Wheatear, Spotted Flycatcher (see below), Yellow Wagtail, Nightingale, Swift, Hobby.
Spring migrant passerines recorded so far include Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Sand Martin, Swallow, Swift, Yellow Wagtail, House Martin, Skylark, Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat and Wheatear.
Migrant waders can best be found on the muddy marsh or the wader scrape. Lapwing and Redshank are breeding in both these habitats. Sand Martins have had their first chicks in the Sand Martin Bank (at least 75% of nest chambers occupied by early May). There's plenty of warber species to be found in the scrubby areas of the reserve, Chiffchaffs are singing from the woodlands, Wheatear and Yellow Wagtail are on the marsh (especially along the bare ground fence lines on the marsh banks), and there are dozens of Reed Warbler singing from all the reedbed areas.
Insects: (mid-April) Honey Bee, Rose Chafer, Buff-tailed Bumblebee, Early Bumblebee, Brimstone, Comma, Speckled Wood, Peacock, Orange Tip, Small White, Large White, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Red-tailed Bumblebee, Orchard Bee, Hairy-footed Flower Bee (see below), Orchard Bee, Red Willow Leaf Beetle.
Water voles: latest sighting 2nd May - 2 Water Vole feeding in sedge along the south route (opposite the Dulverton Hide).
Early flowering plants: Hazel, Alder, Winter Aconite, Red and White Dead-nettle, Early Crocus, Snowdrop, Blackthorn, Winter Viburnum, Cherry Plum, Stinking Helleborine, Daisy, Winter Jasmine, Blue Anemone, Rosemary, Sweet Violet, Cowslip, Butterbur, Lesser Celandine, Cuckoo-flower, Wood Anemone, Sweet Violet, Cow Parsley, Butchers Broom, Snake's Head Frittilary.
Reptiles: Common Lizards (2 juveniles), Slow Worms (69 juveniles, 19 females, 7 males) - 13th April survey.
