All posts by Pete Smith

Bearded Tit – 6th January

January 6, 2016Recent wildlife sightings2016, 6th January, Bearded Tit, Bittern, Deep Pit, Noctule, Ouse Dyke, Pink-footed Goose, Pipistrelle, Slurry Lagoon, StarlingPete Smith

There were two Bearded Tits on the Slurry Lagoon in the Causeway reed beds this afternoon. A Bittern flew into the Deep Pit and about 600 Starlings came in to roost in the reeds. 170 Pink-footed Geese flew over and both Pipistrelle and Noctule were feeding along the Ouse Dyke. RW.

Pintail – 3rd January

January 3, 2016Recent wildlife sightings2016, 3rd January, Cettis Warbler, Golden-eye, Large Gravel Pit, Little Egret, Mute Swan, pintail, Redwing, Slurry Lagoon, Song Thrush, Stonechat, Wader ScrapePete Smith

Happy New Year

This morning a drake Pintail touched down briefly on the Slurry Lagoon and the two Stonechats were together on the Wader Scrape. There were five Little Egrets and a herd of about forty Mute Swans across the river, upstream from the Railway Bridge, and a small flock of mixed Redwings and Song Thrushes on the Wader Scrape, with another four Song Thrushes singing around the reserve. Five Cetti’s Warblers were heard and eleven Golden-eye were on the Large Gravel Pit. PS.

Stonechat – 29th December

December 29, 2015Recent wildlife sightings2015, 29th December, Brambling, Causeway, Deep Pit, Frog, Red Admiral, Siskin, Stonechat, Wader ScrapePete Smith

This morning the male and female Stonechats were seen on the Wader Scrape. A Brambling and a Siskin were heard along the path on the north side of the Slurry Lagoon, and two Frogs were seen in the Deep Pit and a Red Admiral was seen on the Causeway. SC. PS.

Barn Owl – 24th December

December 24, 2015Recent wildlife sightings2015, 24th December, Barn Owl, StonechatPete Smith

The Barn Owl was seen again this afternoon and the Stonechat was also about until driven into cover by the hail storm. JMD.

Goosander – 21st December

December 21, 2015Recent wildlife sightings2015, 21st December, Goosander, Large Gravel Pit, StonechatPete Smith

This morning a female Goosander flew over the site before investigating the Large Gravel Pit. The two Stonechats were still on the substation plantation. PS.

Willow Tit – 20th December

December 20, 2015Recent wildlife sightings2015, 20th December, Cettis Warbler, Lower Path, Stonechat, Willow titPete Smith

This morning there were a male and a female Stonechat on the newly planted trees in front of the substation. Five Cetti’s Warblers were heard and a Willow Tit was seen on the Lower Path. PS.

Brambling – 7th December

December 7, 2015Recent wildlife sightings2015, 7th December, Brambling, Ouse Dyke, TreecreeperPete Smith

Amongst a large finch flock beside the Ouse Dyke path this afternoon a Brambling was spotted. A Treecreeper was also seen in trees on the Ouse Dyke bank. SC.

Stonechat – 6th December

December 6, 2015Recent wildlife sightings2015, 6th December, Lower Path, Redpoll, Redwing, Stonechat, Wader ScrapePete Smith

This morning a male Stonechat was on the Wader Scrape and later moved to the new trees planted around the sub-station. There were also plenty of Redwings and a flock of Redpoll feeding on the willow herb along the Lower Path. PS.

Stonechat – 25th November

November 25, 2015Recent wildlife sightings2015, 25th November, Barn Owl, Large Gravel Pit, Stonechat, Wader ScrapePete Smith

Today there were two Stonechats on the Wader Scrape and the Barn Owl was seen by the Large Gravel Pit. JMD.

Jack Snipe – 23rd November

November 23, 2015Recent wildlife sightings2015, 23rd November, Barn Owl, Black Swan, Brambling, Causeway, Jack Snipe, Large Gravel Pit, Lesser Redpoll, Lower Path, Slurry Lagoon, TreecreeperPete Smith

This morning, amongst the finches along the Slurry Lagoon north path, there were at least two Bramblings. Along the Lower Path, on willow herb growing in the Typhus Pool, there was a flock of about forty Lesser Redpoll. At the water’s edge in front of the bench on the Causeway, a Jack Snipe was flushed and the Black Swan is still in residence on the Large Gravel Pit. Also a Treecreeper was seen on the old hawthorns along Willow Walk. PS.

In the evening a Barn Owl was seen over the grassland next to the Large Gravel pit. JMD.