On the Slurry Lagoon this afternoon was a Green Sandpiper and five Yellow-legged Gulls. All of the tern chicks have flown from one of the tern platforms and are now also on the Slurry Lagoon. RW.
Tag Archives: Common Tern
Redshank – 13th July
Three Redshank were feeding on the muddy parts of the Slurry Lagoon this afternoon and some of the tern chicks had made the short flight from the Deep Pit. PS.
Hobby – 24th June
A Hobby caused pandamonium among the Tern Colony this afternoon when it flew around the platforms. All the adult Terns responded by taking to the air trying to drive it away which resulted in some spectacular aerial chases by both species. JMD.
Hobbies – 12th June
Two Hobbies were seen displaying over the lagoons in the early afternoon. Two tern chicks have hatched on the platforms and an Emreror Dragonfly was seen on the Small Gravel Pit. RW. JMD.
Marsh Harrier – 2nd May
This morning a female Marsh Harrier was watched for nearly an hour as it hunted over the Slurry Lagoon. It very nearly caught a Moorhen, which had to dive repeatedly to escape and was saved in the end by an angry Coot. Several times the Harrier settled in the reed bed and was still there when I left. A Cuckoo sang from the Deep Pit posts and at least three Garden Warblers were also singing. (All ten breeding species of warbler can be heard.) On the river a Common Sandpiper and two Kingfishers were seen and possibly another two were heard and the tern rafts are occupied by up to ten terns. PS.
The Marsh Harrier was still present late morning, showing very much the same behaviour as earlier, and 25 Swifts were seen. In the early afternoon a Kittiwake flew through to the east and a Whimbrel to the north east and at least 120 Swifts passed through. RW.
Hobby – 26th April
This afternoon there were twelve Common Terns on the tern rafts. A flock of around fifty Swifts drifted high over the reserve and a Hobby alarmed the Swallows by the railway bridge, other raptors were two Buzzards, two Kestrels and two Sparrowhawks. There were several butterflies about, including Brimstone and Orange Tip and a Stoat was running up the Deep Pit bank, following a trail, its tail held high. PS.
Swift – 23rd April
Two Swifts were seen this morning, flying over the site, eight Common Terns were seen over the Deep Pit, some already in pairs and more Grasshopper Warblers have arrived, there are up to seven males present now and some females have arrived. PS.
Garden Warbler – 20th April
A Garden Warbler was heard singing from bushes on the Causeway this morning. The Common Tern was joined by a second bird but the two Avocets have gone. PS.
Peregrine Falcon – 19th April
This morning a Peregrine Falcon flew over and perched on the nearby electricity pylon for a few minutes before moving to the next pylon to the north-east. A Common Sandpiper flew round the Slurry Lagoon and a Little Ringed Plover was displaying over the Slurry.
In the early afternoon one Common Tern appeared on the newly recommissioned Tern Platforms. One Swift and two House Martins were seen and a Redstart was heard alarm calling. A Tawny Owl was observed in the willow tree. RW.
Later two Avocets settled on the Slurry Lagoon and a male Marsh Harrier flew through. PS. RW.
Hobby – 21st August
A Hobby caused alarm amongst the swallows near the river bridge this morning, while in the deep water pit four Common Terns were mobbing a cormorant which was drying its wings on one of the platforms.