Wildlife sightings for 15th March 2012
2 Pintail - main lake 1 Peregrine - hunting over the main lake in the mist 3 Redshank - scrape 26 Common Gull - scrape, main lake 19 Snipe - marsh and lake 3 Collared Dove - Castle [...]
2 Pintail - main lake
1 Peregrine - hunting over the main lake in the mist
3 Redshank - scrape
26 Common Gull - scrape, main lake
19 Snipe - marsh and lake
3 Collared Dove - Castlenau houses
23 Redwing - entrance area
1 Coal Tit - singing on Queen Elizabeth Walk
8 Cetti's Warbler - 7 singing, 1 calling
1 Chiffchaff - singing, sheltered lagoon (our first singer of the year)
4 Lesser Redpoll - wildside
Also:
Several Cowslips in flower on the wader scrape bank. The first date these were recorded last year was 21st March.
Recent bird highlights: Bittern, Peregrine, Red Kite, Buzzard, Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit, Jack Snipe, Woodcock, Redshank, Dunlin, Caspian Gull and Bearded Tit.
The grazing marsh is currently in flood and attracting large numbers of Teal, Gadwall, Snipe, Pintail and Wigeon. Jack Snipe can also be found on the marsh, along with Stonechat 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 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 7 birds to be found across the reserve. The first singing Chiffchaff has been heard 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.
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: Cowslip, Marsh Marigold, Hazel catkins, Sallow, Grey Willow, Crack Willow, Blackthorn, Hawthorn (in leaf).
Water Voles: There’s a particularly active individual in the ‘reed swamp’ exhibit in World Wetlands.
