Wildlife sightings for 23rd September 2015
1 Little Egret - marsh
1 Water Rail - calling in reedbeds
9 Snipe - main lake
36 Lapwing - main lake
100 House Martin - feeding over main lake
74 Meadow Pipit - mostly SW, some dropped onto marsh
5 alba Wagtail - flew SW
1 Wheatear - main lake island
11 Chiffchaff - south route
September bird highlights: Wigeon, Little Egret, Hobby, Kestrel, Buzzard, Ruff, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Snipe, Kingfisher, Yellow Wagtail, Wheatear, Garden Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Nuthatch, Tree Pipit, Siskin.
September is a peak month for bird passage activity. Expect more wader species to come through daily, as well as a range of passerines like Warblers, Martins, Swallows and Pipits. The summer visitors are starting to leave while the wintering birds, like Wigeon and Shoveler, continue to arrive for the colder months ahead.
Dragonflies and Damselflies: Large Red Damselfly, Azure/Common Blue Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Red-eyed Damselfly, Hairy Dragonfly, Broad-bodied Chaser, Black-tailed Skimmer, Brown Hawker, Emperor Dragonfly, Migrant Hawker.
Reptiles: Common Lizards – the rain garden and pond zone on the south route have been the best spots and have youngsters. Juveniles also in the bog garden. The wildside 1st,2nd and 4th bridges all had juveniles present, and there were several juveniles on the bridge over the grebe pool/summer route, and a few were seen in the vegetation near the path between 1st and middle reedbed channels. Grass Snakes – 1 adult was seen swimming across the reservoir lagoon during the bat survey, and 1 juvenile near the world wetlands tundra exhibit.
Butterflies: Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Small White, Large White, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Holly Blue.
Moths: (July/August) 6-Spot Burnet, Hummingbird Hawkmoth, Yellow Shell, Brown Silver-line, Silver Y, Jersey Tiger.
