Migrant warblers on the move
Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps moving through the sheltered lagoon this morning, feeding among the willow scrub. Plenty of Dragonflies on the wing, including the scarce Lesser Emperor spotted over the last two days on the main lake.
1 Whitethroat - headley hide
8 Blackcap - sheltered lagoon, wildside
5 Chiffchaff - sheltered lagoon (4 including a juvenile), wildside (1)
1 Hobby - scrape
8 Swallow - over S
1 Common Sandpiper - main lake
15 Teal - main lake, scrape
2 Pochard juveniles - scrape (over 1 month old now)
1 Common Tern - main lake
1 Tawny Owl - calling from the entrance lake early am
July bird highlights: Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Redshank, Peregrine, Kestrel, Buzzard, Hobby, Little Egret, Common Tern, Mediterranean Gull, Greenshank, Little Ringed Plover, Garganey.
Post-breeding (or non-breeding) birds are on the move, such as migrant Green Sandpiper and Teal. The wader scrape is the best spot to check for migrant waders. Lapwing managed to fledge 7 young. Sand Martins have occupied 97% of the nest chambers and some are on their 3rd broods now. Tufted Duck, Pochard, Gadwall and Mallard all had broods of ducklings. The main lake and reservoir lagoon have had several Black-headed Gull juveniles.
The reedbeds and scrub blocks are full of young birds including Reed Warbler, Reed Bunting, Sedge Warbler, Cetti's Warbler and a few Chiffchaff. Watch for Hobby hunting dragonflies and Sand Martins over the reserve.
Flowering plants: (late June) Southern Marsh Orchid, Lesser Celandine, Cut-leaf Cranesbill, Marsh Marigold, Ragged Robin, Common Mallow, Salad Burnet, Ox-eye Daisy, Bird's-foot Trefoil, White Water-lily, Meadow-sweet, Marsh Woundwort, Purple Loosestrife, Meadow Vetchling, Ox-eye Daisy, Common Vetch, Pyramidal Orchid, Self-heal, Hop Trefoil, Common Knapweed, Betony, Tufted Vetch, Agrimony, Figwort, Lady's Bedstraw, Branched Bur-reed, Great Burnet, Meadow Rue, Square-stalked St.John's Wort.
Invertebrates: (July) Rose Chafer, Honey Bee, Buff-tailed Bumblebee, Yellow-legged Mining Bee, White-tailed Bumblebee, Red-tailed Bumblebee (see 2nd photo below), Brimstone, Comma, Speckled Wood, Peacock, Orange Tip, Small White, Large White, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Green Hairstreak, Common Blue, White Admiral, Marbled White, Small Heath, Red Willow Leaf Beetle, Wasp Beetle, Fairy-ring Longhorn Beetle, Black-and-yellow Longhorn Beetle, Black-striped Longhorn Beetle, Umbellifer Longhorn Beetle, Click Beetle, Red-headed Cardinal Beetle, Plum Longhorn Beetle, Common Zebra Spider, Hairy Dragonfly, Azure Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfy, Broad-bodied Chaser, Large Red Damselfly, Norfolk Hawkers (see 1st photo below), Stag Beetle, Scarce Chaser (see 3rd photo below), Marbled White, Ringlet, Long-winged Conehead, Wasp Spider, Ruby-tailed Wasp, Waved Black moth (nationally scarce), Blackneck moth, Dark Bush-cricket (see 2nd photo below).
