In the early afternoon a female/first winter male Black Redstart was seen on the fence posts at the north end of the Slurry Lagoon. Later on there were 68 migrating Common Gulls on the Slurry Lagoon. RW.
Category Archives: Recent wildlife sightings
Common Tern – 3rd April
A single Common Tern was resting and preening on the Slurry Lagoon edge late this afternoon. JMD.
Red Kite – 25th March
As the air warmed up and thermals began to form the raptors began to soar into the sky. By midday there were twelve Buzzards circling and then two Red Kites soared over the site. There were also two Sparrowhawks, a Kestrel, and two Peregrines and a Rough-legged Buzzard that drifted off towards Gedling pit top. Eight Chiffchaffs were singing as well as a Blackcap and several Sand Martins passed through. PS.
Wheatear – 18th March
The sleet and rain this morning has put some migrants down and the dry end of the Slurry Lagoon had two cracking male Wheatears on it. There were also six Chiffchaffs, three of them singing. A Redshank and four Shelduck were on the Slurry Lagoon and two Peregrines flew along the line of the pylons. PS.
Chiffchaff – 15th March
This afternoon, during the brief sunny spell, a Chiffchaff was heard singing in the Deep Pit, also four Meadow pipits flew over. The Cetti’s Warbler was heard singing and a Shelduck is still on the Slurry Lagoon. RW.
Peregrine – 14th March
This afternoon three Peregrines were over the reserve. They drew attention to themselves by very loud and agitated calling. Two were males and one a female, and they perched for a while on the pylons, calling the whole time. One male swooped at the other male and drove it off. It then landed on a pylon above the female, still calling agitatedly. Shortly it flew off along the wires and the female followed it, stooping at it half-heartedly before flying off following the other male. The remaining male then settled on a pylon. PS.
Rough-legged Buzzard – 11th March
This morning, during the bird count, two Rough-legged Buzzards were seen flying over the site. A total of thirteen Common Buzzards were also seen, four Sparrowhawks and three Kestrels, with a Peregrine on Gedling church spire. On the river were a pair of Goosanders and a Lesser Redpoll was feeding in a riverside Ash tree. There were lots of insects about, including Buff-tailed and Red-tailed Bumblebees and Honey Bees, Brimstone, Comma, Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock butterflies. PS et al.
Red Admiral – 1st March
The first butterfly of the year was seen this afternoon – amazingly a Red Admiral was seen flying along the Ouse Dyke. JMD.
Goosander – 26th February
This morning two male Goosander flew over the site. There was an Oystercatcher on the river bank and a Cetti’s Warbler was singing from the Deep Pit.
Spring is in the air today. Several Seven-spot Ladybirds were seen and a queen bumblebee as well as Coltsfoot coming into flower. PS.
Whooper Swan – 19th February
Six Whooper Swans flew north-east over the reserve this morning. There were two Little Egrets in the willow on the Large Gravel Pit and three Shelduck were on the Slurry Lagoon. A Water Rail was seen briefly as it flew from cover to cover in the Deep Pit. AE. PS.