Wildlife sightings for 29th May 2022

Hobby swooping over the marsh, Little Ringed Plover and 10 Great Crested Grebe on main lake

Birds:

2 Oystercatcher - main lake

1 Little Ringed Plover - main lake

1 Hobby - circling high over reservoir lagoon

10 Great Crested Grebe - main lake (two pairs courting)

2 Reed Bunting Pair nest building - from Peacock Tower

Reed Warbler (70 singing birds), Cetti's Warbler (23), Reed Bunting (6), Sedge Warbler (4), Chiffchaff (3) and Blackcap (20+) all singing around the reserve. Dragonflies and Damselflies are on the wing or emerging and many summer flowers are popping up around the reserve, including orchids. Lots of Hirundinidae and Apodidae filling the skies! Hobby have been seen regularly on the reserve over the past few weeks, often scanning from high before diving down to swoop over the main lake or grazing marsh. Hobby are a migrating falcon and arrive in the UK in summer, often following the migration of prey species such as Sand Martins and Swifts. They also time their migration to coincide with the emergence of Dragonflies in the UK and Northern Europe and dragonflies will make up for a substantial part of this species diet. If you are visiting the reserve keep your eyes to the sky and you may well be rewarded.

Flowering plants: Great Burnet, Salad Burnet, Bee Orchid, Southern Marsh Orchid, Pyramidal Orchid, Cut-leaved Crane's-bill, Dove's-foot Crane's-bill, Goat's Beard, Yellow Flag Iris, Yellow Rattle, Common Bistort, Jack-by-the-hedge, Bugle, Herb Robert, Cuckoo-flower, Ox Eye Daisy, Rowan, Wild Cabbage, Dogwood, Guelder Rose, Bramble, Common Vetch, Dog Rose, Elder, Common Mallow, Birds-foot Trefoil, Grass Vetchling, Deptford Pink, Beaked Hawksbeard, Smooth Hawksbeard, Creeping Cinquefoil, Red Campion, White Water Lily.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Small White, Large White, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Peacock, Holly Blue, Common Blue, Speckled Wood, Painted Lady, Small Heath, Red Admiral.

Dragonflies/Damselflies: Four-spotted Chaser, Broad-Bodied Chaser, Black-Tailed Skimmer, Hairy Dragonfly, Blue Tailed Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Banded Demoiselle, Large Red Damselfly, Emerald Damselfly.

Other insects: Alder Leaf Beetle, Poplar Leaf Beetle, Wasp Beetle, Thick-Legged Flower Beetle, Buff-tailed Bumblebee, Ruby-Tailed Wasp, Green Lacewing, Red-headed Cardinal Beetle, Cinnabar Moth, Yellow Underwing, Mother Shipton.

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