Wildlife sightings for 12th April 2013
1 Garganey - main lake
2 Shelduck - reservoir lagoon
1 Barnacle Goose - main lake
1 Green Sandpiper - main lake
5 Redshank - wader scrape, main lake
1 Little Ringed Plover - wader scrape then flew off W
2 Yellow Legged Gull - main lake, 1 1st winter, 1 2nd winter
21 Sand Martin - site count
7 House Martin - site count
15 Swallow - site count
1 Peregrine - over site
4 Meadow Pipit - 2 on grazing marsh, 2 flew W
1 Wheatear - grazing marsh
1 Yellow Wagtail - grazing marsh
8 Cetti's Warbler - site count
2 Blackcap -
9 Willow Warbler - site count
2 Lesser Redpoll - sheltered lagoon
3 Linnet - flew NW
To allow the sand martins to establish their nests the nest bank will be closed from April 17. It will reopen, probably towards the end of May, once the chicks are being fed.
Recent bird highlights: Bittern, Little Egret, Peregrine, Shelduck, Jack Snipe, Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Mediterranean Gull, Little Gull, Wheatear, Black Redstart, Bearded Tit, Stonechat, Water Pipit, Rock Pipit.
During March there were still 3 Bitterns on the reserve, with a single bird present at the start of April.
Regular Bearded Tit sightings continue with one or two birds being spotted among the tall Purple Loosestrife on the marsh, or in the main reedbed.
Wader passage is very good at present with recent sightings of Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Redshank, Ringed Plover and Little Ringed Plover finally signalling the start of spring. Other spring arrivals have included Wheatear, Chiffchaff and Sand Martin, albeit in smaller than usual numbers so far.
Many of the winter birds are moving away with changing numbers of Fieldfare, Shoveler, Teal, Gadwall and Wigeon.
Butterflies: Brimstone (2) on 5th April, Comma on 7th April.
Reptiles: Several Common Lizards have been seen on log piles on the South Route, and also at the base of the Dulverton hide. Slow Worms are starting to appear below the survey tins.
Flowering plants: Cowslip, Marsh Marigold, Snowdrops, Crocus, Blackthorn, Daffodil, Red Dead Nettle, Hazel and Silver Birch catkins.
Water Voles: best place to see one would be one of the ponds near the Pond Zone building or ‘Down the Sewer’ exhibit. Also the ponds as you enter the wildside area from world wetlands – there’s plenty of feeding activity here.
