Wildlife sightings for 13th December 2015
1 Bittern - reservoir lagoon, seen from Wildside hide looking due West
1 Goldeneye - reservoir lagoon
4 Pintail - main lake and marsh
98 Shoveler - site count
95 Teal - site count
1 Peregrine - flew over main lake
72 Lapwing - main lake
1 Kingfisher - flew across reservoir lagoon
3 Water Rail
December bird highlights: Bittern, Shelduck, Goldeneye, Jack Snipe, Stonechat, Brambling, Treecreeper.
Bittern can be found on the main lake reed fringes, particularly the south-east corner or the north shore at present. Jack Snipe (up to 4 seen this month) are on the marsh, mostly amongst grazed Branched Bur-reed near to the Peacock Tower. Redpolls and Siskins can be searched for in any of the Alder trees along the south route or wildside. Small flocks of Redwing and Fieldfare are passing through almost daily and numbers should increase if the temperatures drop, and smaller numbers of Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Brambling and other Finch species can also be observed migrating over the reserve. Teal and Wigeon are all over the wet grazing marsh fields, looking at their colourful best after the late summer feather moult. Listen out for possible Bearded Tits in the reedbeds this winter.
Bats: Pipistrelle spotted several nights in early December hunting in front of the Observatory.
Fungi: Fungus forays run on 24th September, 8th and 22nd October have turned up some interesting species that we are lucky to have on site. These have included species that are nationally rather more uncommon: the Girdled Webcap, the Girdled Knight, Russula atrorubens (a very rare brittlegill species), Blushing Rosette, Inocybe squamata, Thelophora penicillata, etc; also rather colourful species: Blackening Waxcap, Parrot Waxcap (a new site record), Blue Roundhead, Redlead Roundhead, Garland Roundhead, Chicken of the Woods, Beefsteak Fungus, Sulphur Tuft, etc; and then those with names that have an air of Halloween or superstition about them: Witches’ Butter, Yellow Brain, Weeping Widow, Dead Man’s Fingers, Dead Moll’s Fingers, Candlesnuff Fungus, Birch Woodwart, Hazel Woodwart, Hairy Earthtongue, Dryad’s Saddle, Fairy Inkcap, Fairy Ring Champignon, Elfin Saddle, etc.
