Wildlife sightings for 23rd March 2012
Grass snake (right) in wildside ponds (image by Peter Galbraith) 4 Redshank - wader scrape 8 Cetti's Warbler - site count 6 Chiffchaff - sheltered lagoon, wildside, reedbed, water [...]
Grass snake (right) in wildside ponds (image by Peter Galbraith)
4 Redshank - wader scrape
8 Cetti's Warbler - site count
6 Chiffchaff - sheltered lagoon, wildside, reedbed, waterlife
1 Garden Warbler - sheltered lagoon
1 Blackcap - singing in wildside
1 Linnet - flew N
2 Coal Tit - both singing entrance, wildside
2 Peregrine - on hospital across river
Recent bird highlights: Bittern, Peregrine, Red Kite, Buzzard, Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit, Jack Snipe, Woodcock, Redshank, Dunlin, Sandwich Tern and Bearded Tit.
The grazing marsh is currently in flood and attracting good numbers of Teal, Shoveler, Snipe, Pintail and Wigeon. Look out for possible Jack Snipe along with Stonechat, Skylark and occasional Pipit species.
Small flocks of Siskin, Goldfinch, Lesser Redpoll and Mealy Redpoll are feeding amongst the Alder and Birch trees. Redwing and Fieldfare are feeding on the remaining Hawthorn and Holly berries, particularly in the entrance area.
The first Bitterns arrived mid-October and now 1-2 can still be found anywhere on the reed fringes of the main lake, sheltered lagoon, reservoir lagoon or main reedbed.
With spring in the air the Cetti’s Warbler are becoming more vocal with at least 8 birds to be found across the reserve. Several Chiffchaffs have arrived and started singing, and the first Blackcap was seen during the second week of March. Lapwing are already beginning to scrape out nests on the main lake shingle islands while performing territorial flight displays. Great Crested Grebe and Little Grebe are displaying regularly on the sheltered lagoon. The first few Sand Martins have also arrived (mid-March).
Moths: Common Quaker, Hebrew Character, Chestnut, Acleris literana, Ypsolopha ustella, Torticodes anternella, Agonopterix heracliana, Clouded Drab, Dotted Border, March Moth, Acleris cristana, Caloptilia semifascia, Mompha epilobiella, Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, Acleris hastiana, Calybites phasianipennella.
Flowering plants: Alpine, White Butterbur, Butterbur, Grey Willow, Goat Willow, Osier, Blackthorn, Cherry, Plum, Hazel, Alder, Lesser Celandine, Daisy, Common Whitlowgrass, Marsh Marigold, Snake’s Head Fritillary, Hairy Bittercress, Common Lungwort, White Dead-nettle, Common Field Speedwell, Green Alkanet, Primrose, Colt’s-foot, Ragwort, Groundsel, Dandelion, Petty Spurge.
Water Voles: There’s a particularly active individual in the ‘reed swamp’ exhibit in World Wetlands.
Butterflies: Red Admiral, Comma, Brimstone.
Bats: Soprano Pipistrelle (around main buildings), Daubentons (resr lagoon)
