Wildlife sightings for 1st April 2016
3 Little Egret - grazing marsh
1 Shelduck - reservoir lagoon
2 Little Ringed Plover - grazing marsh
6 Redshank - wader scrape, grazing marsh
3 Snipe - main lake, grazing marsh
1 Water Rail - main lake beside WWF hide
2 Kingfisher - sheltered lagoon
1 Water Pipit - grazing marsh
1 Stonechat - grazing marsh fence line
1 Linnet - grazing marsh
2 Willow Warbler - sheltered lagoon
3 Blackcap - sheltered lagoon
5 Sand Martin - wader scrape, sheltered lagoon
Additional sightings from yesterday:
1 Firecrest - sheltered lagoon
March bird highlights: Brent Goose, Shelduck, Goosander, Buzzard, Red Kite, Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Woodcock, Little Ringed Plover, Redshank, Jack Snipe, Little Egret, Ring-billed Gull, Caspian Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Iceland Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Short-eared Owl, Kingfisher, Stonechat, Siberian Chiffchaff, Brambling, Crossbill, Wheatear, Water Pipit.
There’s been some good early spring migration on the reserve with sightings of Oystercatcher, Black-tailed Godwit, Ring Ouzel, Swallow, Sand Martin and Willow Warbler to name just a few species. Lapwings and Redshanks are displaying and marking out territories across the marsh, scrape and main lake. The last few Redwings and Fieldfares are slowly heading east. February/early March have seen the highest counts of Shoveler this winter with most of the flock out on the flooded marsh, along with smaller numbers of Pintail, Teal, Wigeon and more unusual Gull species like Yellow-legged Gull. There’s plenty of signs of spring with singing Reed Bunting, Chiffchaff, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Siskin, Dunnock and Robin.
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, 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 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) on the west side of the sheltered lagoon.
Reptiles: Common Lizard(11th).
