Wildlife sightings for 14th April 2013
1 Garganey - male, main lake
1 Little Egret - marsh
1 Peregrine - male, hunting over site
4 Redshank - main lake, scrape
310 Herring Gull - main lake
1 Yellow-legged Gull - 1st-winter bird, main lake
2 Yellow Wagtail - grazing marsh with cattle
2 Linnet - flew NW
4 Redwing - sheltered lagoon
1 Fieldfare - sheltered lagoon
Also:
1 Grass Snake - our first of the year, summer route area
Several Common Lizard - south route, look on the hides and bases of bridges in the sunshine.
1 Peacock butterfly - sunning itself on WWF hide
1 bat sp. - feeding on the sheltered lagoon, c. 12:30 p.m. Most likely a Daubenton's bat, but we're awaiting a photo from a well-placed photographer to confirm.
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, Buzzard, Shelduck, Garganey, Jack Snipe, Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Mediterranean Gull, Little Gull, Yellow Wagtail, 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, Peacock on 14th 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. Our first Grass Snake of the year was seen near the summer route on 14th April.
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.
