Wildlife sightings for 24th June 2015
6 Shoveler - marsh, reservoir lagoon
2 Teal - marsh
2 Redshank - marsh
1 Grey Wagtail - otter enclosure
June bird highlights: Garganey, Little Egret, Hobby, Kestrel, Oystercatcher, Little Ringed Plover, Redshank, Mediterranean Gull, Caspian Gull, Kingfisher, Whitethroat, Garden Warbler.
In addition to the muddy pools and ditch edges of the marsh, the wader scrape is still being flooded and drained over a weekly period to bring in a few interesting waders. Lapwings have their first chicks with several more pairs sitting on eggs on the marsh and scrape. Common Terns have a few nests on some of the shingle islands and many pairs of Black-headed Gulls are noisily nesting on the rafts and islands. A host of breeding passerines can be found including Reed Warbler, Reed Bunting, Whitethroat, Cetti’s Warbler, Blackcap and Sedge Warbler.
Dragonflies and Damselflies: May transect totals – Large Red Damselfly(15), Azure/Common Blue Damselfly(810), Blue-tailed Damselfly(428), Red-eyed Damselfly(12), Hairy Dragonfly(22), Broad-bodied Chaser(5), Black-tailed Skimmer(2)
Reptiles: Survey results from 13th June: Slow Worm: 18 juvenile, 20 female, 2 male. Grass Snake: 3 juvenile.
Butterflies and other insects: Green Hairstreak, Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell, Small White, Large White, Small Copper, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Comma, Holly Blue, Orange-tip, Green-veined White, 7-Spot Ladybird, Bee-Fly, Miner Bee, White-tailed Bumblebee, Buff-tailed Bumblebee, Common Carder Bee, Silver Y Moth.
Flowering plants: Primrose, Red Dead-Nettle, Colts-foot, Marsh Marigold, Lesser Celandine, Cowslip, Blackthorn, Wild Cherry, Wood Anemone, Sweet Violet, Bluebell, Cuckoo Flower, Southern Marsh Orchid, Ragged Robin, Bee Orchid, Common Spotted Orchid, Bird’s Foot Trefoil.
