Latest Sightings
The summer holidays have begun! Visitors are certainly enjoying the lovely weather along with our wildlife on the reserve. Over the weekend a regular visitor spotted a Hummingbird Hawkmoth on the buddleia down the path to Harrier Hide. These are a migratory species of moth that fly from North Africa and can be seen during the day. Keep an eye out for them hovering over our buddleia plants around the reserve.
On the Mere, although more quiet than usual, there have been 6 Common Tern, 8 Ruff, 7 Black-tailed Godwit and a Common Sandpiper. Over at Ron Barker, the Bittern was seen on Friday along with 4 Snipe, 8 Green Sandpiper and the Wood Sandpiper was spotted again on this day. Finally, at Harrier Hide, 5 Cormorants, 4 Great Crested Grebe and a female Tufted Duck with 6 Juveniles.
Photograph of a Humming Hawkmoth taken by Kim Tarsey.
We also completed our monthly Wetland Bird Survey on Sunday. Below are our numbers from the count.
Gadwall 20
Teal 32
Mallard 1014
Shoveler 11
Pochard 1
Tufted Duck 13
Mute Swan 2
Whooper Swan 4
Shelduck 10
Greylag Goose 156
Canada Goose 195
Pink-footed Goose 5
Moorhen 88
Coot 73
Snipe 8
Lapwing 95
Ruff 9
Black-tailed Godwit 4
Green Sandpiper 4
Little Grebe 4
Great Crested Grebe 5
Cormorant 6
Grey Heron 14
Little Egret 1
Cattle Egret 17
Black-headed Gull 75
Lesser Black-backed Gull 5
Common Gull 1
Common Tern 4
Kingfisher 1
Great White Egret 4
Little Ringed Plover 3 Marsh Harrier 3
