Wildlife sightings for 19th November 2014
2 Bittern - main lake North and South shores
1 Dunlin - main lake
2 Redwing - flew over W
1 Redpoll - entrance lake
3 Siskin - sheltered lagoon
Additional sightings from yesterday:
1 Bittern - flew into sheltered lagoon @ 17.10hrs
November bird highlights: Bittern, Jack Snipe, Iceland Gull, Little Gull, Short-eared Owl, Skylark, Water Pipit, Stonechat.
Good numbers of wintering wildfowl are settling in for the winter ahead, many of which have migrated from as far east as Siberia to get here. The grazing marsh in particular is attracting plenty of Teal that move back and forth from the river in line with the daily tides. Gadwall, grazing Wigeon and Shoveler also favour this habitat at this time of year, feeding on lots of seed leftover from the summer growth of Rushes, Bur-reeds, Loosestrifes, Fleabanes, Docks and grasses. Jack Snipe and Snipe will be probing the soft muddy edges for invertebrate food. The marsh also holds Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, Water Rail, Reed Bunting, Cetti’s Warbler and occasional Water Pipit.
The wader scrape attracts similar wildfowl, particularly Teal, but with a larger expanse of wet mud there’s the chance of the odd visiting wader species like Dunlin or Redshank.
The first wintering Bittern arrived late October and is currently favouring the main lake reed fringes, particularly the north shore.
Butterflies: Red Admiral.
Fungi: Blackening Waxcap, Hare’s-foot Inkcap, Shooting Star (an amazing minute 2-3 mm macro-fungus found on woodchip on site), Garland Roundhead (this uncommon London species is appearing again in grassland on South Route and Sandy Bank), Redlead Roundhead (this striking woodchip fungus is just starting to appear along South Route), Yellowing Knight, Sweet Poisonpie, Funeral Bell (small specimens arising from woodchip along South Route), Red-edge Brittlestem (associated with the woodchip in flowerbeds along South Route), Rootlet Brittlestem (woodland edge besides Log Pile Garden on South Route), Common Cavalier (a few individuals popping up along wooded path edges of South Route), Fluted Bird’s-nest (car park woodchip in the vicinity of the bus roundabout).
