During this morning’s Bird Count a female Smew was seen on the Large Gravel Pit, a Bittern was seen on the Slurry Lagoon and a Stonechat was on the rough ground beside the Ouse Dyke. PS
Tag Archives: Bittern
Bittern – 10th January
This morning, during the bird count, a Bittern was seen flying into the Deep Pit. Eight Egyptian Geese were seen flying over the Slurry Lagoon and small flocks of Siskins and Redpolls were seen. Up to four Cetti’s Warblers were heard singing and a Treecreeper was seen on the Lower Path. PS.
Bearded Tit – 6th January
There were two Bearded Tits on the Slurry Lagoon in the Causeway reed beds this afternoon. A Bittern flew into the Deep Pit and about 600 Starlings came in to roost in the reeds. 170 Pink-footed Geese flew over and both Pipistrelle and Noctule were feeding along the Ouse Dyke. RW.
Bittern – 10th November
An estimated 6,000 Starlings came in to roost this evening, at one stage about 5,000 were displaying together before dropping in to the reed bed and the rest came in in small and larger groups afterwards. A Bittern flew across the Slurry Lagoon and joined the Starlings, perhaps fancying a Starling supper. Up to three Sparrowhawks were also trying to snatch a Starling from the flocks, none successfully. Later a few Canada Geese and about 1,000 Grey-lag Geese came in to roost on the Slurry Lagoon. PS.
Bittern – 20th October
The Black Swan spent the day with two Mute Swans on the Deep Pit. In the evening the Mandarin arrived with its goose friends and flew across the site three times before they decided to roost somewhere else. About 5,000 Starlings came in to roost and later a Bittern was seen and a Tawny Owl was heard. Noctule and Pipistrelle were recorded on the bat detector. RW.
Bittern – 25th September
A Bittern flew from the Deep Pit to the slurry Lagoon reed bed at dusk. a Hobby was also around and about 400 Starlings came in to roost in the reed bed. Earlier there had been a Dunlin and a Wheatear. RW.
Spotted Flycatcher – 19th September
This afternoon the Redstart was still present by the railway bridge and has been joined by two Spotted Flycatchers. In the evening a Bittern was seen crossing the Deep Pit. A Peregrine and a Barn Owl were also seen and the Starling roost had built to about 600. RW.
Bittern – 15th September
This afternoon a Bittern was seen in the Deep Pit. In the scrub between the substation and the reserve, three Whinchat, a male Stonechat and two Wheatears were also present. PS.
Bittern – 19th July
This morning a Bittern was seen crossing and recrossing the Slurry Lagoon.
On the Hoverfly Walk several colourful insects were seen, including Syrphus torvus, Xanthogramma pedissequum, Epistrophe grossulariae, Volucella inanis and Chrysotoxum festivum.
Stonechat – 5th November
This morning a male Stonechat was seen on the tall weeds between the sub-station and the Wader Scrape. There have been up to three in this area for some weeks now. The two Pintail were still resident on the Slurry Lagoon and good numbers of Redwings and Fieldfares were in evidence. PS. In the evening a Bittern was seen in the Deep Pit, flushed by the roosting Starlings. RW.