Tag Archives: 2022

Little Ringed Plover – 25th April

This morning a Little Ringed Plover was calling on the Ecopark. There was an Arctic Tern along the river and Deep Pit. A Green Sandpiper was over the river in the field with 2 Shelducks. A House Martin was over the Deep Pit and a Kingfisher was on the river near the bridge with a Grey Wagtail. A couple of Lesser Whitethroat were singing on site and a Cuckoo was in the Haven/Large Gravel Pit area.  IEP.

Little Gull – 23rd April

This morning there was a passage of Little Gulls through the reserve. At about 08.00 ten flew through to the north. Later a single flew through and then decided to stop on the Large Gravel Pit where, at about 11.40, eleven more flew in and joined it. They were hawking St. Marks Flies over the water and were later joined by one Arctic Tern. There were also two Whimbrel seen early on, flying through to the NE. Two Ravens were around the Slurry Lagoon and a Cuckoo was also seen there. Three Lesser Whitethroats and a Garden Warbler were singing along with most of the other warbler species. PS.

Willow Warbler.
Arctic Tern MC
Little Gull MC
Little Gull MC

Arctic Tern – 21st April

This morning, an Arctic Tern was briefly over the Deep Pit (9am) before flying off south-east. A Garden Warbler was singing and showing well by the river near the railway bridge and a Grasshopper Warbler was reeling below the bench at the north-end of the Pylon Path, below the pylon. Reed Warblers were heard in the Slurry Lagoon reed bed and a Raven was over the Slurry Lagoon. Two Peregrines were on the new pylon, one brought prey in, which was not far of its own size. Little Ringed Plover on the Ecopark. IEP.

Green Hairstreak – 14th April

The ‘Bird Walk – Migrants’ went well today with eight of us present. We saw Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers, Blackcaps, Whitethroats, Sedge Warblers and Cetti’s Warblers. There were Swallows and Sand Martins by the railway bridge. As the morning warmed up butterflies emerged with Brimstone, Orange-tip, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Green Hairstreak and Holly Blue all seen.

Green Hairstreak

Sand Martin – 7th April

This morning the Little Ringed Plover was on the Severn/Trent field, close to the Ecopark. A female Marsh Harrier was hunting over the Slurry Lagoon reed-bed until it drifted off to the south-west. A Snipe was on the Wader Scrape and a Willow Warbler was singing near the Reed-bed Walk. Briefly two Sand Martins were hawking insects over the Slurry Lagoon. PS.

Tawny Mining Bee – 6th April

This morning the two Willow Warblers were both singing from the same spots as yesterday. There were at least twenty Tawny Mining Bees sunning themselves on the posts along the Causeway. PS.

Tawny Mining Bee – female
Tawny Mining Bee – male

In the afternoon a female Marsh Harrier was seen hunting over the Slurry Lagoon , also seen were a displaying Little Ringed Plover, a Green Sandpiper and Jacksnipe. MC.

Female Marsh Harrier MC.