Wildlife sightings for 3rd April 2015
1 Little Ringed Plover - wader scrape
2 Jack Snipe - wader scrape, grazing marsh
5 Redshank - wader scrape
2 Red Crested Pochard - main lake
3 Meadow Pipit - flew over NE
1 Swallow - sheltered lagoon
1 Willow Warbler - sheltered lagoon
1 Pheasant - (female) wader scrape bank
Additional sightings from yesterday:
9 Buzzard - flew over site in various directions
2 Water Rail - reedbed
March bird highlights: Shelduck, Garganey, Bittern, Peregrine, Pheasant, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Jack Snipe, Little Ringed Plover, Kittiwake, Mediterranean Gull, Kingfisher, Stonechat, Wheatear, Willow warbler.
The first spring birds have arrived in the form of Chiffchaff, Sand Martin and Redshank, as well as other migrants stopping off or passing through like Black-tailed Godwit, Mediterranean Gull and Wheatear. Wintering duck are still on the reserve with 75 Shoveler present on the marsh. The wet, muddy pools of the marsh are attracting migrant Snipe (18 counted on the 17th) and breeding Lapwing/Redshank. The wader scrape is now being flooded and drained over a fortnightly period to bring in a few interesting waders. A pair of Kingfishers have been seen excavating holes in both artificial Kingfisher Banks, so there’s hope that they may well nest successfully this year. Great Crested Grebes are paired up and displaying on the main lake and reservoir lagoon. Lapwings are actively scraping out nest sites on the main lake and wader scrape, as well as busily displaying to each other. Mid-March onwards will see the arrival of many more migrants, so look out for the first Willow Warbler or Blackcap any day now, as well as the chance of a more unusual wader or passerine.
Reptiles: First reptile survey of the year (2nd April). Slow Worm: 5 juvenile, 1 male, 1 female. Common Lizard: 3 juvenile, 1 adult.
Butterflies: 1 Red Admiral (seen 1st March), 1 Brimstone (9th), 1 Small Tortoiseshell (9th).
Plants: Hawthorns are in leaf, lots of Blackthorn blossom and the first Primroses and Cowslips are in flower
