Wildlife sightings for 30th July 2016

1 Redshank - main lake

1 Little Egret - wader scrape

2 Garganey - main lake

3 Common Tern - main lake, reedbed

1 Whitethroat - reservoir lagoon

5 Chiffchaff - sheltered lagoon, wildside

1 Oystercatcher - main lake

 

July bird highlights: Little Egret, Shelduck, Garganey, Whimbrel, Hobby, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, Arctic Tern, Common Tern, Mediterranean Gull, Kingfisher, Whinchat.

The breeding season is coming to an end now and there’s been plenty of young birds on the reserve, including Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Cetti’s Warbler, Reed Warbler, Song Thrush, Common Tern, Black-headed Gull, Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Whitethroat, Greenfinch and Kingfisher. The Kingfishers successfully raised one chick for the first time on the reserve, so hopefully they will try again next year. The Terns managed a few young despite the increasing size of the Black-headed Gull colony competing for nesting sites. We are now looking out for more Tufted Duck and Pochard broods on the lakes, and possibly one or two late Shoveler broods. Sand Martins have had a remarkable year with 71 nesting attempts in the artificial bank, up from just 15 nests last year, reversing the long-term decline we have seen over the last 10 years.

There are already signs of early autumn migration with a few immature migrant waders dropping in, Garganey feeding on the scrape, Arctic Tern stopping over to feed and wash, and a Yellow Wagtail feeding on the marsh.

Bats: species of bat recorded on site this spring/summer have included abundant activity of Soprano Pipistrelle (UK BAP priority species); other species have included Common Pipistrelle, Nathusius’ Pipistrelle (UK rare), Noctule (UK BAP priority species), Leisler’s Bat (UK rare) and Daubenton’s Bat.

Reptiles: Grass Snake (UK BAP priority species), Common Lizard, Slow Worm (UK BAP priority species). The non-native Red-eared and Yellow-bellied Slider Terrapins still make occasional appearances e.g. on the Wader Scrape.

Plants: Ragged Robin, Yellow Loosestrife, Purple Loosestrife, Fleabane, Meadowsweet, Branched Bur-reed, Meadow Rue, Meadow Vetchling, Tare, Tufted Vetch, Common Vetch, Bird’s Foot Trefoil, Common Stitchwort, Hemp Agrimony, Agrimony, Water Dropwort, Ragwort, Creeping Thistle, Spear Thistle, Forget-me-knot, Betony, Knapweed, Wild Carrot… to name just a few.

Bees: Tree Bumble, Large Red-tailed Bumble, Early Bumble, White-tailed and Buff Bumbles, Common Carder, Tawny Mining, Early Mining, Clarke’s Mining, Gooden’s Nomad, Grey-patched Mining, Red Mason, Hairy-footed, Honey, Yellow Loosestrife Bee.

Butterflies and day-flying Moths: Brimstone > Small White> Meadow Brown> Holly Blue, Common Blue> Large Skipper > Speckled Wood > Burnet Companion > Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet > Large White > Painted Lady > Red Admiral > Comma. The National Moth Night trap found 64 species on site, including 80 migratory Diamond-backed Moths, Elephant Hawk-moth, Eyed Hawk-moth, Peppered Moth, Small Magpie and Obscure Wainscot.

Dragonflies and Damselflies: Azure Damselfly > Blue-tailed Damselfly > Common Blue Damselfly > Black-tailed Skimmer > Red-eyed Damselfly > Emperor > Large Red Damselfly > Hairy Hawker > Broad-bodied Chaser > Banded Demoiselle > Four-spotted Chaser.

Bush-crickets and Grasshoppers: Roesel’s Bush-cricket (listen out for an extended electrical buzzing sound), Common Green Grasshopper (listen for the sound of a free-wheeling bicycle), Meadow Grasshopper, Field Grasshopper

Bugs: Parent Shieldbug (late instar nymphs on birch leaves), Capsus ater (on Amphibious Bistort south side Sheltered Lagoon), Giant Willow Aphid (lots on living willow fence along South Route)

Beetles: Common Red Soldier Beetle (tall grassland around Sheltered Lagoon), 7-spot Ladybird, Harlequin Ladybird, Oedemera lurida (e.g. Compositae flowers), Donacia simplex (and related species on Branched Bur-reed), Rosemary Beetle (on Lavender in Sustainable Gardens), Red Poplar Leaf Beetle (on poplar sapling leaf Sheltered Lagoon), Viburnum Leaf Beetle (on Guelder-rose beside Bog Garden)

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