Wildlife sightings for 13th August 2014
25 Shoveler - main lake
2 Ruddy Duck - main lake
2 Common Tern - wader scrape, main lake
1 Kingfisher - wader scrape
30 House Martin - main lake, sheltered lagoon
1 Peregrine - perched on hospital across river
July bird highlights: Marsh Harrier, Hobby, Red Kite, Black-Tailed Godwit, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Ruff, Mediterranean Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Kingfisher, Treecreeper, Rock Pipit.
Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Cetti’s Warbler, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Chiffchaff and Reed Bunting have all bred successfully so far this summer. A few occasional waders (Black-tailed Godwit, Green Sandpiper, Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, Ruff) have been spotted throughout July, feeding on the muddy edges of the main lake and wader scrape. Common Terns and Black-headed Gulls raised several broods out on the nesting rafts. A pair of Little Ringed Plover raised a brood on the scrape. At least 3 broods of Lapwing fledged from both the scrape and the marsh. Snipe have reappeared on the marsh at the end of July. Small numbers of Teal and Shoveler can be found on the scrape; more are expected to arrive throughout August with the start of autumn migration.
Flowering plants: Wild Parsnip, Wild Carrot, Black Medick, Buckthorn, Cut-leaved Crane’s-bill, Dog-rose, Globeflower, Greater Celandine, Horseradish, Meadow Clary, Yellow Iris, Common Stork’s-bill, Goat’s-beard, Hairy Tare, Hoary Cress, Adder’s-tongue fern, Common Spike-rush, Dogwood, Germander Speedwell, Glaucous Sedge, Hedgerow Crane’s-bill, Red Clover, Round-leaved Crane’s-bill, Solomon’s Seal, Star-of-Bethlehem, Tuberous Comfrey, White Water-lily, Beaked Hawk’s-beard, Bird Cherry, Bistort, Bogbean, Bugle, Clustered Mouse-ear, False Fox-sedge, Field Forget-me-not, Garlic Mustard, Greater Stitchwort, Greater Tussock-sedge, Guelder-rose, Lesser Pond-sedge, Ox-eye Daisy, Pendulous Sedge, Red Valerian.
BUTTERFLIES & DAY-FLYING MOTHS: LWC Butterfly transect (2nd July 2014): Meadow Brown (28) > Small / Essex Skipper (17) > Large Skipper (8), Small White (8) > Green-veined White (7) > Small Tortoiseshell (6) > Red Admiral (5) > Six-spot Burnet (2), Large White (2), Holly Blue (2), Comma (2), Speckled Wood (2) > Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet (1), Brimstone (1 recently emerged female nectaring on Red Clover), Ringlet (1), Small Heath (1), Silver Y (1).
Notable site records for this summer so far: Mother Shipton, Barred Yellow (1st recorded at in 2008), Green Hairstreak, Red-tipped Clearwing (1st site record. Nationally scarce), Cinnabar Moth, Ringlet, Small Heath (UK BAP Priority species).
DRAGONFLIES & DAMSELFLIES: LWC Dragonfly transect (2nd July 2014): Common Blue/Azure Damselfly (160) > Blue-tailed Damselfly (102) > Small Red-eyed Damselfly (35) > Black-tailed Skimmer (7) > Emperor Dragonfly (6) > Four-spotted Chaser (2), Common Darter (2) > Banded Demoiselle (1), Ruddy Darter (1).
BUSH-CRICKETS & GRASSHOPPERS: Roesel’s Bush-cricket, Dark Bush-cricket, Common Green Grasshopper, Field Grasshopper.
HOVERFLIES & OTHER FLIES: Tropidia scita, Parhelophilus frutetorum and Eupeodes luniger.
Reptiles: Slow Worms on banks, adult Grass Snakes occasionally seen swimming in water (1ft immature recorded 19th in Wildside), Common Lizards basking on bridges, hides, log piles etc, and hatchlings are starting to emerge, first seen in Wildside.
