Wildlife sightings for 15th July 2015
1 Hobby - flew SW over main lake
1 Kingfisher - flew N over main lake
30 Swift - feeding on site
3 House Martin - reservoir lagoon
July bird highlights: Little Egret, Hobby, Kestrel, Green Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit, Little Ringed Plover, Redshank, Mediterranean Gull, Caspian Gull, Kingfisher, Whitethroat, Garden Warbler.
Early wader and duck migration has been seen in the first two weeks of July. Post-breeding Shoveler and Teal arrived on the wader scrape, along with Sandpiper species, Black-tailed Godwit and Curlew. Breeding success has included 6 Gadwall broods, 2 Pochard broods, 8+ Tufted Duck broods, Lapwing, Whitethroat, Cetti’s Warbler, Sand Martin and Reed Warbler. Further passage wader activity can be expected on the marsh, scrape or main lake as we move towards August.
Dragonflies and Damselflies: Large Red Damselfly, Azure/Common Blue Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Red-eyed Damselfly, Hairy Dragonfly, Broad-bodied Chaser, Black-tailed Skimmer
Reptiles: Survey results from 13th June: Slow Worm: 18 juvenile, 20 female, 2 male. Grass Snake: 3 juvenile.
Butterflies and other insects: (June/July) Green Hairstreak, Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell, Small White, Large White, Small Copper, 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: Marsh Marigold, Rough Hawkbit, Cat’s Ear, Meadowsweet, Meadow Rue, Tufted Vetch, Common Vetch, Meadow Vetchling, Tare, Cuckoo Flower, Southern Marsh Orchid, Ragged Robin, Bee Orchid, Common Spotted Orchid, Bird’s Foot Trefoil, Wild Carrot, Hemlock Water Dropwort, Water Plantain, Flowering Rush, Greater Pond Sedge, Pendulous Sedge, Spike Rush, Soft Rush, Hard Rush, Yellow Iris, Purple Loosestrife, Yellow Loosestrife, Water Mint, Branched Bur-reed, Lady’s Bedstraw and many more. The wet fen meadows in Wildside look at their very best at the moment, and this community is one of the most diverse on the reserve.
