Wildlife sightings for 14th May 2015
1 Little Ringed Plover - marsh
1 Whitethroat - scrape bank
5 Common Tern - main lake, reservoir lagoon
7 Redshank - marsh, scrape
40 Swift - main lake, marsh
11 Swallow - main lake, marsh, reservoir lagoon
3 House Martin - marsh
April/early May bird highlights: Bittern, Shelduck, Buzzard, Peregrine, Hobby, Red Kite, Merlin, Stone Curlew, Grey Plover, Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Jack Snipe, Dunlin, Whimbrel, Common Sandpiper, Arctic Tern, Common Tern, Kittiwake, Mediterranean Gull, Kingfisher, Yellow Wagtail, Stonechat, Whinchat, Wheatear, Grasshopper Warbler, Siberian Chiffchaff, Lesser Whitethroat.
Most of the spring birds have arrived in the form of Chiffchaff, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat, Sand Martin, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Swift, Little Ringed Plover and Redshank, as well as other migrants stopping off or passing through like Black-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Mediterranean Gull, Swallow, Willow Warbler, Redstart and Wheatear. In addition to the muddy pools and ditch edges of the marsh, the wader scrape is now being flooded and drained over a weekly period to bring in a few interesting waders. Lapwings have their first chicks with several more pairs sitting on eggs on the marsh and scrape.
Reptiles: Survey results from 2nd May: Slow Worm: 34 juvenile, 10 male, 10 female.
Butterflies and other insects: Red Admiral, Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell, Small White, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Comma, Holly Blue, Orange-tip, Green-veined White, 7-Spot Ladybird, Bee-Fly, Miner Bee, White-tailed Bumblebee, Buff-tailed Bumblebee, Common Carder Bee.
Flowering plants: Primrose, Red Dead-Nettle, Colts-foot, Marsh Marigold, Lesser Celandine, Bulbous Buttercup, Cowslip, Blackthorn, Wild Cherry, Wood Anemone, Sweet Violet, Bluebell, Cuckoo Flower.
