Join us on the 27th and 28th of April for birding and optics sessions! Ask the expert from Viking your questions and go on a walk with a warden learning about our reserve and its inhabitants.

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New Life Emerging

As the spring season continues, we welcome the arrival of young animals and the progression of several species' life cycles

As the spring season continues, we welcome the arrival of young animals and the progression of several species' life cycles

We have had lots of mammal sightings recently. There is a healthy population of Roe deer, often seen on and around the reserve (with evidence of their antler rubbings various trees). An Otter has been spotted on Whooper pond, where a Grey heron has also been making regular fishing trips. A Barn owl was seen across Folly field.

There are also young birds emerging including Mute swan cygnets on Teal pond and Canada goslings around Folly pond, and of course keep your eyes out for Tree sparrow chicks in our nest boxes, as well as the House Martins on the Peter Scott Observatory and Swallows nesting in some of the hides.
We have Oystercatchers mating and Lapwing chasing off Corvids indicating there may be chicks about.

Invertebrates seem to be increasing by the week too, we’re seeing increased numbers of butterflies like Orange tip and Green-veined white. We also had our first Damselfly of the year spotted down the Saltcot.

High Tide Times

27th May 10:19 7.7m
28th May 11:03 7.8m
29th May 11:41 7.9m
30th May 12:16 7.9m
31st May 12:51 7.8m
1st June 13:26 7.7m

Birds

Mammals

Insects

Whinchat

Hare

Speckled Wood Butterfly

Pintail

Roe Deer

Orange-tip Butterfly

Siskin

Bank Vole

Small White Butterfly

Shelduck

Stoat

Green-veined White Butterfly
Water RailOtterPeacock Butterfly

Gadwall

Badger

Red Admiral Butterfly

Moorhen

FoxLarge White Butterfly
Mute Swan
Canada Geese
Moorhen
Reed Warbler
Willow Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Grasshopper Warbler
Garden Warbler
Common Whitethroat
Lesser Whitethroat

Cormorant



Little Egret


Grey Heron



Hen harrier


Buzzard



Kestrel



Sand Martin


Swift


Swallow


Oystercatcher


Lapwing


Common Sandpiper


Redshank


Black-tailed Godwit


Snipe


Ruff


Black-headed Gull


Common Gull


Herring Gull


Lesser Black Backed Gull


Wood Pigeon


Collared Dove


Great Spotted Woodpecker


Skylark


Wheatear

Linnet

Twite

Goosander

Pied Wagtail

Reed Bunting

Chiffchaff

Song Thrush

Blackbird

Greenfinch

Goldfinch

Wren

Great Tit

Coal Tit

Blue Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Treecreeper

Jackdaw

Rook

Carrion Crow

Raven

Starling

House Sparrow

Tree Sparrow

Chaffinch

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