Wildlife sightings for 23rd June 2017
1 Garganey - main lake N shore
5 Mandarin - resr lagoon
1 Snipe - main lake (island 6)
4 Little Ringed Plover - main lake, scrape
1 Redshank - marsh
1 Lapwing juv (fledged) - marsh
1 Red Kite - over NW
May/June bird highlights: Wood Sandpiper, Grey Plover, Whinchat, Oystercatcher, Greenshank, Whimbrel, Garganey, Little Ringed Plover, Yellow Wagtail, Common Sandpiper, Redshank, Shelduck, Jack Snipe, Peregrine, Barnacle Goose, Wheatear, Kingfisher, Swallow, Ringed Plover, Ring Ouzel, Caspian Gull, Garden Warbler.
Summer breeding birds on site include Chiffchaff, Sand Martin, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Lapwing, Little Ringed Plover, Shelduck (8 ducklings seen on 22nd), Redshank, Reed Bunting. Sand Martins using the artificial nest bank on the wader scrape have now occupied 90 nest chambers with 54 broods fledged so far (recorded early June). Exciting migrants like Wheatear, Ring Ouzel, Redstart, Whimbrel and Wood Sandpiper were found all through spring. The bare ground along the marsh electric fences has been particularly good for migrant passerines like Yellow Wagtail, Wheatear and Whinchat.
Moths: 127 species were recorded in the latest June moth trap, including Pale Brindled Beauty, Spring Usher, The Herald, Lunar Marbled Brown, Silver-Y, Small Elephant Hawkmoth, Eyed Hawkmoth, Elephant Hawkmoth, Lime Hawkmoth.
Other insects: Butterflies: Red Admiral, Green Hairstreak, Painted Lady, Orange Tip, Brimstone, Holly Blue, Speckled Wood, Small White, Comma, Peacock, Large White, Small Tortoishell. Bees: Buff-tailed Bumble Bees, Red Mason Bees, White-tailed Bumble Bee, Common Carder Bee, Early Mining Bee, Tawny Mining bee, Chocolate Mining Bee, Hairy-footed Flower Bee, Large Red-tailed Bumble Bee, Dark-edged Beefly. Common Flower Bug, Rove Beetle.
Dragonflies/Damseflies: Scarce Chaser, Large Red Damselfly, Beautiful Demoiselle, Banded Demoiselle, Common Blue Damselfly, Red-eyed Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Emperor Dragonfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Hairy Dragonfly, Black-tailed Skimmer.
Spring plants: Elder, Marsh Marigold, Red Dead-nettle, Neat Feather-moss, Lesser Celandine, Bulbous Buttercup, Cuckooflower, Yellow Iris, Forget-me-not, Cow Parsley, Ragged Robin, Southern Marsh Orchid, Common Spotted Orchid, Bee Orchid, Pyramidal Orchid, Common Vetch, Black Meddick, White Dead-nettle, Salad Burnet, Cat’s Ear, Common Knapweed, Common Mallow, Meadow Vetchling, Grass Vetchling, Ribwort Plantain, Yellow Rattle, Monkey-flower, Self-heal, Red+White Clover, Yellow Bartsia, Meadow Rue, Meadowsweet, Betony, Marsh Woundwort, Tufted Vetch, Water Mint, Purple Loosestrife.
