Wildlife sightings for 11th April 2014
1 Common Tern - hunting on main lake and grazing marsh.
1 Green Sandpiper - wader scrape
5 Buzzard - spotted around midday
3 Yellow Wagtail - 1 flew E along river, 2 heard calling over grazing marsh
19 Sand Martin - wader scrape, main lake, grazing marsh
1 House Martin
1 Swallow - grazing marsh
1 Grasshopper Warbler - heard beside Headley hide
1 Lesser Whitethroat -
April bird highlights: Buzzard, Red Kite, Jack Snipe, Little Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Green Sandpiper, Yellow-legged Gull, Iceland Gull, Little Egret, Yellow Wagtail, Linnet, Wheatear, Siberian Chiffchaff, Grasshopper Warbler.
Spring is well underway with many birds singing and displaying across the reserve. Among those now in full song are Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Robin, Cetti’s Warbler, Greenfinch, Wren and Reed Bunting. Lapwing and the first Redshanks of the year are busy performing noisy display flights and scraping out nests on the islands and fields. Great Crested Grebe pairs have been courtship dancing for several weeks now, being one of the earliest wildfowl to nest here. The first Sand Martin was recorded on the 15th. The first Wheatear was spotted on the marsh 21st March. Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Blackcap are arriving every day, many securing their territories while others are simply passing through north and west.
Most of the Wigeon, Shoveler and Teal have now departed for their breeding grounds in the north and east, although small numbers may still be found feeding on the marsh or main lake.
Early flowering plants: Red Dead-Nettle, Cuckoo-flower, Blackthorn, Field-Speedwell, Primrose, Mouse-Ear, Yarrow, Annual Meadow-grass, Annual Mercury, Alder, Aspen, Common Field Speedwell, Common Whitlow-grass, Daisy, Grey Willow, Groundsel, Hairy Bitter-cress, Hazel, Lesser Celandine, Marsh Marigold, Petty Spurge, Shepherd’s Purse, Snowdrop, Wild Daffodil, Sweet Violet, Colt’s-foot, Thale Cress, Butterbur, Cow Parsley, Cowslip, Field Scabious, Herb Robert, Green Alkanet.
Water Voles: 4 individuals were spotted together along one section of the South Route, all feeding on Sedge roots and Reed stems.
Butterflies and Moths: (1st April) – Peacock (10) > Brimstone (3 male, 2 female), Small Tortoiseshell (5) > Comma (4) > Orange Tip (1 male, 1 female) > Small White (1). Early Grey Moth, Common Quaker, Hebrew Character, Clouded Drab.
Other insects: White-tailed Bumblebee, Buff-tailed Bumblebee, Tawny Mining Bee, Common Carder Bee, Hairy-footed Flower-bee, Bee-fly, Alderfly, 7-spot Ladybird, Cream-spot Ladybird.
Amphibians: male and female Smooth Newts mostly found in the South Route ponds; the first Marsh Frogs seen and heard in the car park ditch and entrance lake (start of the month).
Bats: a few Soprano Pipistrelles, 1 Common Pipistrelle and a few Daubentons (at the start of the month).
Reptiles: The first survey of the year revealed a total of 84 Slow Worms, 15 Common Lizards and 3 Grass Snakes. The WWF hide area is the best bet for basking Lizards so far.
