Wildlife sightings for 2nd November 2011
1 Bittern - flew from N side reservoir lagoon to middle channel, letting out a BOOM after landing. This is the second ever record of a booming Bittern here at the London Wetland Centre. We think the m [...]
1 Bittern - flew from N side reservoir lagoon to middle channel, letting out a BOOM after landing. This is the second ever record of a booming Bittern here at the London Wetland Centre. We think the mild weather might be confusing it a bit!
2 Peregrine - adult male and female
2 Sparrowhawk - 1 flew W above reservoir lagoon, 1 flew N over main lake
1 Green Sandpiper - heard calling from grazing marsh
8 Snipe - marsh
7 Water Rail - calling from reedbeds
710 Woodpigeon - migrating
4 Collared Dove - 3 on Castlenau houses, 1 flew W
10 Meadow Pipit - flew S
3 Grey Wagtail - including 1 singing, wildside
19 Redwing - flew SW
18 Fieldfare - flew SW/W
6 Cetti's Warbler - singing in reedbeds, entrance lake, sheltered lagoon
4 Chiffchaff - calling main lake and wildside
5 Goldcrest - west bank
2 Bullfinch - entrance lake, wildside
1 Mealy Redpoll - wildside
7 Lesser Redpoll - wildside
30 Goldfinch - 10 entrance area and 20 flew SW
10 Siskin - 3 wildside, 7 flew SE
20 Linnet - flew S
3 Yellowhammer - flew S
Also: 1 Red Admiral - flew over grazing marsh
1 Grass Snake - wildside. This is a very late sighting as Grass Snakes should be hibernating by now.
Additional sightings from dusk yesterday:
1 Kestrel - flew W after sunset
7+ Water Rail - reedbed
1 Kingfisher - reedbed filter
304 Ring-necked Parakeet - flew W/NW to roost
5 Cetti's Warbler - reedbed
3 Starling - very low count, we could expect 200-300 coming in to roost at this time of year. We think the mild weather may be contributing to this low number.
5 Lesser Redpoll - collection/wildside
Also: 1 Leisler's Bat - wildside
10 Soprano Pipistrelle - wildside, west bank, waterlife, entrance lake
Recent bird highlights: Bittern, Peregrine, Green Sandpiper, Jack Snipe, Mediterranean Gull, Skylark, Rock Pipit, Water Pipit, Bullfinch, and Stonechat.
Autumn migration continues with the chance of a range of spotting unusual waders, Warblers, Pipits and other passerines anywhere on the reserve.
Skylarks, Redwing, Fieldfare, Meadow Pipits and migrant Blackbird and Song Thrush are moving westwards on a daily basis. Some will drop into the hedges and scrub blocks which are laden with Hawthorn, Blackthorn and Rosehip fruit.
Late Wheatear might be found on the short, grazed grass banks on the marsh along with Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, Rock and Water Pipit.
Look out for a real rarity like a Yellow-browed Warbler that tend to follow the Blue Tit and Long-tailed Tit flocks around.
Small flocks of Siskin, Goldfinch and Redpoll are feeding amongst the tall Alder and Birch trees.
Jack Snipe has been spotted several times on the scrape or marsh on the edges of long vegetation.
Flocks of wintering duck have settled on the reserve with Shoveler, Gadwall, Wigeon and Teal all on the increase.
The first Bitterns (2) arrived mid-October and can be found on the main lake and sheltered lagoon reed fringes at present.
