Wildlife sightings for 28th July 2014
1 Dunlin - scrape
3+ Little Ringed Plover - adults and juvs
1 Kingfisher - sheltered lagoon
1 Peregrine - charing cross hospital roof ledge
July bird highlights: Marsh Harrier, Hobby, Red Kite, Black-Tailed Godwit, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Ruff, Mediterranean Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Kingfisher, Treecreeper, Rock Pipit.
Common Tern are still nesting with the Black-headed Gulls on the purpose-built rafts out on the main lake and reservoir lagoon. Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Cetti’s Warbler, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Chiffchaff and Reed Bunting have all bred successfully so far this summer. A few occasional waders (Green Sandpiper, Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, Ruff) have been in evidence since the first half of the month, feeding on the muddy edges of the main lake and wader scrape. A pair of Little Ringed Plover are nesting on the scrape. At least 3 broods of Lapwing have nearly fledged from both the scrape and the marsh. Small numbers of Teal and Shoveler, now going into eclipse plumage, have appeared on the scrape since the end of June.
Flowering plants: Black Medick, Buckthorn, Cut-leaved Crane’s-bill, Dog-rose, Globeflower, Greater Celandine, Horseradish, Meadow Clary, Raspberry, Yellow Iris, Common Stork’s-bill, Goat’s-beard, Hairy Tare, Hoary Cress, Adder’s-tongue fern, Common Spike-rush, Dogwood, Germander Speedwell, Glaucous Sedge, Hedgerow Crane’s-bill, Meadow Foxtail, Red Clover, Round-leaved Crane’s-bill, Solomon’s Seal, Star-of-Bethlehem, Tuberous Comfrey, White Campion, White Water-lily, Beaked Hawk’s-beard, Bird Cherry, Bistort, Bluebell, Bogbean, Bugle, Cleavers, Clustered Mouse-ear, False Fox-sedge, Field Forget-me-not, Garlic Mustard, Greater Stitchwort, Greater Tussock-sedge, Guelder-rose, Lesser Pond-sedge, Meadow Buttercup, Ox-eye Daisy, Pendulous Sedge, Red Campion, Red Valerian, Salad Burnet, Smooth Meadow-grass, Sweet Vernal-grass, Whitebeam.
BUTTERFLIES & DAY-FLYING MOTHS: LWC Butterfly transect (2nd July 2014): Meadow Brown (28) > Small / Essex Skipper (17) > Large Skipper (8), Small White (8) > Green-veined White (7) > Small Tortoiseshell (6) > Red Admiral (5) > Six-spot Burnet (2), Large White (2), Holly Blue (2), Comma (2), Speckled Wood (2) > Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet (1), Brimstone (1 recently emerged female nectaring on Red Clover), Ringlet (1), Small Heath (1), Silver Y (1).
Notable site records for this summer so far: Mother Shipton, Barred Yellow (1st recorded at in 2008), Green Hairstreak, Red-tipped Clearwing (1st site record. Nationally scarce), Cinnabar Moth, Ringlet, Small Heath (UK BAP Priority species).
DRAGONFLIES & DAMSELFLIES: LWC Dragonfly transect (2nd July 2014): Common Blue/Azure Damselfly (160) > Blue-tailed Damselfly (102) > Small Red-eyed Damselfly (35) > Black-tailed Skimmer (7) > Emperor Dragonfly (6) > Four-spotted Chaser (2), Common Darter (2) > Banded Demoiselle (1), Ruddy Darter (1).
BUSH-CRICKETS & GRASSHOPPERS: Roesel’s Bush-cricket, Dark Bush-cricket, Common Green Grasshopper, Field Grasshopper.
HOVERFLIES & OTHER FLIES: Tropidia scita, Parhelophilus frutetorum and Eupeodes luniger.
Reptiles: Slow Worms on banks, adult Grass Snakes occasionally seen swimming in water (1ft immature recorded 19th in Wildside), Common Lizards basking on bridges, hides, log piles etc, and hatchlings are starting to emerge, first seen in Wildside.
Bats: Soprano Pipstrelle, Nathusius’ Pipistrelle, Leisler’s Bat, Noctule Bat, Daubenton’s Bat, Serotine Bat, Common Pipistrelle.
