Wildlife sightings for 6th April 2013
1 Bittern - main lake N shore
1 Shelduck - wader scrape
1 Buzzard - drifting over high SW 1030hrs
2 Red kite - 1 circled to the E @ 12.00hrs the other went SW @ 13.30hrs
1 Marsh Harrier - flew N @ 11.25hrs
3 Redshank - wader scrape
7 Snipe - wader scrape, grazing marsh
4 Chiffchaff - sheltered lagoon, wildside
1 Linnet - flew NW
57 Chaffinch - flew SE
500+ Black Headed Gull - flew E
1 Wheatear - marsh
Recent bird highlights: Bittern, Little Egret, Peregrine, Shelduck, Jack Snipe, Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Redshank, Dunlin, Avocet, Mediterranean Gull, Little Gull, Wheatear, Bearded Tit, Stonechat, Water Pipit, Rock Pipit.
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 and Sand Martin, albeit in smaller than usual numbers so far.
Many of the winter birds are moving away with changing numbers of Fieldfare, Shoveler, Teal, Gadwall and Wigeon.
Butterflies: Brimstone (2) and Red Admiral both on 5th March, but none spotted since the cold winds have returned.
Flowering plants: Cowslip, Marsh Marigold, Snowdrops, Crocus, Blackthorn, Daffodil, Red Dead Nettle, Hazel and Silver Birch catkins.
Water Voles: best place to see one would be one of the ponds near the Pond Zone building or ‘Down the Sewer’ exhibit. Also the ponds as you enter the wildside area from world wetlands – there’s plenty of feeding activity here.
