The male Garganey was still present on the Slurry Lagoon this morning. The female Goosander was also still present on the river by the Poulser Brook. There were seven Garden Warblers singing and two Cuckoos were seen. PS.
Category Archives: Recent wildlife sightings
Garganey – 25th April
A cracking male Garganey appeared on the Slurry Lagoon this morning. After feeding steadily for an hour or so it decided to take a nap. During this time at least ten Buzzards went through to the north after gaining height over the site. The Sand Martins were seen to dash in a tight group across the Large Gravel Pit and a few seconds later a Peregrine was found, carrying prey (probably a Sand Martin), which it took up to a pylon to eat. PS.
In the afternoon a Hobby was hawking insects over the Deep Pit and some damselflies were seen including Common Blue, Blue-tailed and Banded Demoiselle. RW.
Swift – 24th April
Today, during the patchwatch, seventy seven species of birds were recorded, including a Swift, two House Martins, three Garden Warblers, eight Lesser Whitethroats and seven Grasshopper Warblers. PS.
Marsh Harrier – 22nd April
This morning a pair of Lesser Whitethroat were found on the corner of the Slurry Lagoon by the steps. On the river near the bend a female Goosander was resting on the bank and a Curlew, followed by a Whimbrel flew through. A female Marsh Harrier appeared over the Slurry Lagoon, alarming all of the ducks, before quartering the reed beds. After a while it landed in the reed bed but was seen leaving the site a few minutes later. A Yellow Wagtail was also seen and the Cuckoo returned to the Deep Pit fence posts. PS. RW.
In the early afternoon a Hobby drifted through to the east. RW.
Cuckoo – 20th April
At last a Cuckoo has arrived on site. He called from the willows around the gravel pits and then found the posts around the Deep Pit. There were also four Yellow Wagtails fifteen Common Terns and a House Martin. RW. JMD. PS.
Common Sandpiper – 19th April
This afternoon a small Calidrid wader, probably a Dunlin, flew around the Slurry Lagoon several times before flying off to the north-east. There was a Common Sandpiper on the river bank and towards evening, during a Hirundine raptor alert, a House Martin was seen high above the Swallows. PS. JMD.
Jay – 11th April
As we watched the terns trying to drive the Black-headed Gulls from the breeding platforms, more birds arrived in ones and twos. Soon there were nine flying around and they gained the upper hand. In the distance a Jay flew through, high above the valley. Five Grasshopper Warblers are now singing and more Reed and Sedge Warblers have arrived. PS.
Red Kite – 10th April
Good numbers of migrants have come in over the weekend, and there were four Grasshopper Warblers and several Reed and Sedge Warblers present. The Sand Martin numbers have reached the sixties and one or two more Swallows have arrived. During the morning a Red Kite was seen flying north, along the line if the pylons, high above the reserve. NWG RW.
Lesser Whitethroat – 9th April
A Lesser Whitethroat was heard and seen near the bench half-way down the North-East side of the Slurry Lagoon late this afternoon and four House Martins were also seen. PB.
Little Gull – 8th April
This afternoon a Little Gull was seen passing over the site with a flock of Black-headed Gulls. In the morning two Grasshopper Warblers were found and more Sedge Warblers and Whitethroats had arrived. In the afternoon there were two Wheatears on the dry end of the Slurry Lagoon. RW/DM.
