Wildlife sightings for 16th April 2016
2 Little Ringed Plover - grazing marsh
1 Dunlin - wader scrape
1 Ring Ouzel - (male) entrance area
2 Kingfisher - sheltered lagoon
5 Yellow Wagtail - grazing marsh
7 Swallow - reservoir lagoon
27 House Martin - reservoir lagoon, grazing marsh
2 Willow warbler - South route, sheltered lagoon
April bird highlights: Shelduck, Little Egret, Hobby, Red Kite, Buzzard, Jack Snipe, Grey Plover, Curlew, Whimbrel, Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Redshank, Dunlin, Kingfisher, Hoopoe, Ring Ouzel, Water Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, Stonechat, Wheatear, Lesser Whitethroat, Grasshopper Warbler, Garden Warbler, Firecrest, Linnet.
There’s been some good early spring migration on the reserve with sightings of Oystercatcher, Black-tailed Godwit, Ring Ouzel, Swallow, Sand Martin, Garden Warbler, Wheatear and Willow Warbler. Lapwings and Redshanks are displaying and nesting across the marsh, scrape and main lake. Other signs of spring include singing Reed Bunting, Chiffchaff, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Siskin, Dunnock and Robin. A few Siskin may still be found before heading back east, along with the last small flocks of Shoveler, Wigeon and Teal. The marsh water level has been gradually drawn down since early March so there’s plenty of muddy edges to attract passage birds at the moment.
Early flowering species: Hazel, Blackthorn, Cherry Plum, Hawthorn, Silver Birch, Willow sp., Aspen, Bulbous Buttercup, Butcher’s Broom, Butterbur, Colt’s Foot, Common Field Speedwell, Common Vetch, Common Whitlowgrass, Cow Parsley, Cowslips, Crocus, Cuckoo-flower, Daisy, Dandelion, Groundsel, Lesser Celandine, Forget-me-not, Marsh Marigold, White and Red Dead-nettle, Petty Spurge, Primrose, Common Mouse-ear, Sweet Violet, Winter Aconite.
Insects (and earliest March dates): Common Carder Bee(22nd), Early Mining Bee(25th), Grey-patched Mining Bee(11th), Hairy-footed Flower Bee(11th), Buff-tailed Bumble Bee(21st), Tree Bumble Bee(12th), Small Tortoiseshell(17th), Brimstone(22nd), Small White(22nd), Peacock(17th), Comma(25th), Red Admiral(29thFeb), Dark-edged Bee Fly(29th).
Water Voles: most March sightings have been along the south route, particularly near reeds or sedge. A Bank Vole was spotted (12th March) on the west side of the sheltered lagoon.
Reptiles: A reptile survey on 10th April found 19 juvenile and 9 adult slow worms and our first grass snake (a small juvenile) of the year.
