Wildlife sightings for 1st November 2015
1 Bittern - main lake
1 Marsh Harrier - grazing marsh
20 Siskin - wildside
late sighting for 31st - Bittern on the main lake near Dulverton Hide
October bird highlights: Bittern, Little Egret, Short-eared Owl, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Jack Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Kingfisher, White Wagtail, Wheatear, Spotted Flycatcher, Nuthatch, Tree Pipit, Siskin, Rock Pipit, Firecrest, Stonechat, Skylark, Brambling, Linnet.
By mid-October many of our summer visitors have left, such as the Swallows and Swifts, but this month is a good time to pick up waders, Warbler species, Chats, Finches and wintering Thrushes that are all busy migrating. Wintering duck species continue to arrive, like the Wigeon and Shoveler, and the first Bittern of the winter arrived at the start of the month. The Bitterns like to spend most of their time hidden in the reedbeds, but with a bit of luck you could see one creeping along the reed edge or perched higher up in the reeds. Look out for Jack Snipe, Redpoll and Water Pipit this month, with Yellow-browed Warbler always a rare possibility.
Reptiles: Common Lizards: – a gathering of juveniles in wildside – these are on the tree stumps just before the reedbeds, right of the path as you head towards the path. There is also another gathering on a post between the 1st and 2nd bridges and the bench by the 1st bridge has juveniles in the cracks on the south facing side. The 4th bridge has juveniles. On the South Route the Dulverton Hide has finally seen some juveniles as has the log garden on the pile near the Dulverton hide. The Rain Garden has a new brood. Down The Plughole has a brood. The Pond Zone ponds, Bog Garden, WWF, Succession trail boardwalk and the logpile at the start of the trail all have had juveniles in the last few weeks.
Grass Snakes: on the survey there were three hatchlings in the Entrance Lake area and one near the wildside gate, it was hiding amid the slow worms.
Slow Worms: there are still pregnant females on the reserve and a couple of refugia had females with young close by, indicating they may have been very recently born.
Fungi: Fungus forays run on 24th September, 8th and 22nd October have turned up some interesting species that we are lucky to have on site. These have included species that are nationally rather more uncommon: the Girdled Webcap, the Girdled Knight, Russula atrorubens (a very rare brittlegill species), Blushing Rosette, Inocybe squamata, Thelophora penicillata, etc; also rather colourful species: Blackening Waxcap, Parrot Waxcap (a new site record), Blue Roundhead, Redlead Roundhead, Garland Roundhead, Chicken of the Woods, Beefsteak Fungus, Sulphur Tuft, etc; and then those with names that have an air of Halloween or superstition about them: Witches’ Butter, Yellow Brain, Weeping Widow, Dead Man’s Fingers, Dead Moll’s Fingers, Candlesnuff Fungus, Birch Woodwart, Hazel Woodwart, Hairy Earthtongue, Dryad’s Saddle, Fairy Inkcap, Fairy Ring Champignon, Elfin Saddle, etc.
