Wildlife sightings for 6th November 2015
1 Bittern - flew across the main lake and landed in the SE corner
11 Snipe - grazing marsh
4 Redwing - flew over heading W
7 Skylark - flew over heading SE, E
2 Redpoll - flew over heading NE
October bird highlights: Bittern, Little Egret, Short-eared Owl, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Jack Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Kingfisher, White Wagtail, Wheatear, Spotted Flycatcher, Nuthatch, Tree Pipit, Siskin, Rock Pipit, Firecrest, Stonechat, Skylark, Brambling, Linnet.
By mid-October many of our summer visitors have left, such as the Swallows and Swifts, but this month is a good time to pick up waders, Warbler species, Chats, Finches and wintering Thrushes that are all busy migrating. Wintering duck species continue to arrive, like the Wigeon and Shoveler, and the first Bittern of the winter arrived at the start of the month. The Bitterns like to spend most of their time hidden in the reedbeds, but with a bit of luck you could see one creeping along the reed edge or perched higher up in the reeds. Look out for Jack Snipe, Redpoll and Water Pipit this month, with Yellow-browed Warbler always a rare possibility.
Bats: Halloween sightings. A dozen or more pipistrelle bats (Soprano Pipistrelle and the odd Common Pipistrelle). Up to half a dozen were seen milling around the Tower in the Courtyard and over by the Wildside Hide. Bats also seen in Wildside and World Wetlands.
Fungi: Fungus forays run on 24th September, 8th and 22nd October have turned up some interesting species that we are lucky to have on site. These have included species that are nationally rather more uncommon: the Girdled Webcap, the Girdled Knight, Russula atrorubens (a very rare brittlegill species), Blushing Rosette, Inocybe squamata, Thelophora penicillata, etc; also rather colourful species: Blackening Waxcap, Parrot Waxcap (a new site record), Blue Roundhead, Redlead Roundhead, Garland Roundhead, Chicken of the Woods, Beefsteak Fungus, Sulphur Tuft, etc; and then those with names that have an air of Halloween or superstition about them: Witches’ Butter, Yellow Brain, Weeping Widow, Dead Man’s Fingers, Dead Moll’s Fingers, Candlesnuff Fungus, Birch Woodwart, Hazel Woodwart, Hairy Earthtongue, Dryad’s Saddle, Fairy Inkcap, Fairy Ring Champignon, Elfin Saddle, etc.
