Wildlife sightings for 8th February 2014
1 Jack Snipe - scrape
1 Caspian x Herring Gull hybrid, 1st winter - main lake
1 Fieldfare
1 Brambling - explore feeders
1 Mealy Redpoll - explore feeders
1 Lesser Redpoll - explore feeders
1 Chiffchaff
January/early February bird highlights: Bittern, Peregrine, Woodcock, Jack Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Brambling, Rock Pipit, Bearded Tit.
2 Bitterns have been spotted this month, mostly on the north and south shores of the main lake, with movements into the main reedbed at dusk for roosting.
Redwing and Fieldfare have been roosting every evening around the sheltered lagoon and wildside. Most of the berries on the Hawthorn, Dog Rose, Holly, Rowan and Guelder Rose have been stripped now.
1-2 Jack Snipe are present still at the start of February, taking advantage of the flooded grazing marsh along with up to 12 Common Snipe. Teal numbers remain high, their favoured feeding grounds being the exposed mud on the wader scrape and the grazing marsh, particularly during high tide when large numbers leave the river to visit the reserve instead. Shovelers remain steady at 70-100 birds, again making use of the flooded grazing marsh for loafing, feeding and roosting.
Early flowering plants: Red Dead-Nettle, Blackthorn, Petty Spurge, Mouse-Ear, Yarrow.
