Today – during a very wet Patchwatch – 70 species were recorded, including two Arctic Terns, a Curlew, Dunlin, Green Sandpiper, Teal, Lesser Whitethroat and Grasshopper Warbler. Also there were hundreds of Hirundines seen hawking insects over all three bodies of water. PS.
Later a Red Kite and a Swift were seen. RW.
The juvenile Marsh Harrier was seen again this morning, pursued by crows until it dropped into the Slurry Lagoon reed-bed. Also a calling Green Sandpiper flew over the Slurry Lagoon towards the Ecopark, followed later by two Common Snipe and a Water Rail made its dash across the gap in front of the Causeway bench. PS.
This morning a juvenile Little Ringed Plover was on the mud in front of the Slurry Lagoon reeds. Amongst the Lesser Black-backed Gulls on the Slurry Lagoon was one Yellow-legged Gull. PS.
This morning a Great White Egret flew onto the Slurry Lagoon. Later it flew off to the S. On the Large Gravel Pit the Black-headed Gulls were hawking insects over the water and were joined by one 1st summer and two adult Little Gulls. PS.
This evening a Green Sandpiper was seen on the flash, across the river. JDn.
This morning a Red Kite, accompanied by five Jackdaws, was seen circling high over the Slurry Lagoon. PS.
Today there were two Pintail on the Large Gravel Pit. In the evening there was a large murmuration of Starlings over the Slurry Lagoon. AN/KW.
A Bittern flew across the Slurry Lagoon at dusk. RW.
On August 4th a new shieldbug was discovered on the reserve, near the river. “What’s this funny bug.”, resulted in great excitement when it was realised that a new and unexpected species had been found. It was the Brassica Shieldbug, Eurydema oleracea, a normally southern species that is slowly extending its range northwards. Not just one, but five individuals were found, two of them still in the final instar nymph form.
There have only been two other Nottinghamshire records, both since May 2019, one nearby at Nottingham Race Course and one at Toton, although there has also been a recent Yorkshire record.
This is a very attractive species, with a cream, yellow, orange or red pattern on a green/black background.
This morning a Hobby flew north, across the site. Both Peregrines were on the new pylon. PS.
This morning there were a fair number of gulls resting on the frozen surface of the Slurry Lagoon. Also a Peregrine was seen making half-hearted attacks on a Black-headed Gull and a Mallard.