Wildlife sightings for 24th April 2013
1 Grey Plover - main lake (1300hrs)
1 Little Ringed Plover - main lake
1 Curlew - flew over scrape NE
4 Redshank - wader scrape, main lake
1 Buzzard - flew over NW (1115hrs)
1 Red Kite - flew over scrape E (1520hrs)
2 Common Tern - main lake
1 Garden Warbler - sheltered lagoon
9 Blackcap - wildside, sheltered lagoon, south route, world wetlands
2 Whitethroat - south route, entrance lake area
5 Reed Warbler - main lake, south route, reedbed
3 Sedge Warbler - main lake, wildside
10 Willow Warbler - sheltered lagoon, south route, wildside
4 Chiffchaff - wildside, sheltered lagoon
1 Wheatear - scrape/resr lagoon bank (E bank)
To allow the sand martins to establish their nests the nest bank will be closed from April 18. It will reopen, probably towards the end of May, once the chicks are being fed. The birds can still be observed entering and leaving the bank from the Peacock Tower or the Wader Scrape Hide.
Recent bird highlights: Bittern, Little Egret, Peregrine, Buzzard, Shelduck, Garganey, Common Sandpiper, Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Mediterranean Gull, Little Gull, Yellow Wagtail, Wheatear, Black Redstart, Redstart, Bearded Tit, Stonechat, Rock Pipit, Ring Ouzel.
During March there were still 3 Bitterns on the reserve, with a single bird present at the start of April.
Regular Bearded Tit sightings continue with one or two birds being spotted among the tall Purple Loosestrife on the marsh, or in the main reedbed.
Wader passage is very good at present with recent sightings of Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Redshank, Ringed Plover and Little Ringed Plover finally signalling the start of spring. Other spring arrivals have included Wheatear, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Sedge Warbler, Ring Ouzel, Swallow, House Martin and Sand Martin.
The last of the wintering birds are moving off now with small numbers of Fieldfare, Redpoll, Shoveler, Teal, Gadwall and Wigeon still in evidence.
Butterflies and other insects: Brimstone, Comma, Peacock, Painted Lady, Bee-fly, Large White.
Reptiles: Several Common Lizards have been seen on log piles on the South Route, and also at the base of the Dulverton hide. Slow Worms are starting to appear below the survey tins. Our first 4 Grass Snakes of the year were seen near the summer route on the 14th.
Flowering plants: Groundsel, Hairy Bitter-Cress, Lesser Celandine, Primrose, Sweet Violet, Sweet William, Wood Anemone, Cowslip, Marsh Marigold, Wild Daffodil, Red+White Dead Nettle, Annual Meadow-Grass, Butterbur, Colt's Foot, Chickweed, Common Field Speedwell, Lungwort, Common Whitlowgrass, Cow Parsley, Dandelion, Frittilary, Forget-me-not, Hazel, Silver Birch, Blackthorn, Alder, Aspen, Cherry Plum, Crack Willow, Goat Willow, Grey Willow, Osier, Wild Cherry.
Water Voles: best place to see one would be one of the ponds near the Pond Zone building or ‘Down the Plughole’ exhibit. Also the ponds as you enter the wildside area from world wetlands – there’s plenty of feeding activity here.
