The first Common Blues of the season were seen this morning with twelve males being seen. Quite a relief after last year’s dismal showing. Also seen was a Small Copper, several Orange Tips and Small and Green-veined Whites, and a Small Tortoiseshell. PS.
Tag Archives: 2013
Large Red Damselfly – 26th May
The first of the damsel flies were flying this morning, mostly Common Blues, but also a Red-Eyed and a Large Red were seen. PS.
Grass Snake – 22nd May
The female Grass Snake was again seen along the Lower Path this afternoon. There were still not many Swifts about but a few more House Martins were seen. PS.
Cuckoo – 19th May
This morning a Warbler Walk was led around the reserve and ten species of warbler were heard. A Cuckoo was heard calling across the Slurry Lagoon and a Hobby appeared briefly by the railway bridge. There were also plenty of butterflies and other insects about. PS.
Marsh Harrier – 2nd May
A female Marsh Harrier was quartering the Slurry Lagoon reed bed this afternoon. It seemed to pounce on something and disappeared for a while into the reeds. Later it was up again and being pursued by three Carrion Crows. Despite this it dropped into the reeds again and remained there. PS.
Grass Snake – 1st May
Two mating Grass Snakes were seen this afternoon beside the Lower Path. TK.
A Hobby was also seen, hawking insects. RW.
Grasshopper Warbler – 28th April
There are now at least five Grasshopper Warblers on territories across the site. Also four Lesser Whitethroats were singing along with plenty of Reed, Sedge, Willow Warblers, Whitethroats, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs. there were three Oystercatchers, eight Little Ringed Plovers and a Common sandpiper. PS.
Marsh Harrier – 25th April
This afternoon a female/immature male Marsh Harrier spent a few minutes resting in the Slurry Lagoon reed bed before being escorted from the premises by two Buzzards. RW.
Hobby – 23rd April
Early this afternoon a Hobby was seen hawking butterflies around the Large Gravel Pit and a Whimbrel settled briefly on the Wader Scrape. RW.
There were also at least five Little Ringed Plover and a Common Sandpiper on the Wader Scrape and two Common Sandpipers and two Yellow Wagtails on the river bank. Twelve Peacocks, three Green-veined Whites, three Commas, three Small Tortoiseshells and two Brimstones were also seen. PS.
Also early afternoon four Yellow Wagtails were on the Wader Scrape. JMD.
White Wagtail – 19th April
This morning there were House Martins with the other hirundines over the river, along with three Common Sandpipers, and a Marsh Tit was found in the Deep Pit. In the afternoon a male Wheatear was on the field across the river and two White Wagtails were on the Wader Scrape. RW.