Tag Archives: cuckoo

Osprey – 23rd May

May 23, 2025Recent wildlife sightingsBittern, cuckoo, Deep Pit, Great White Egret, Hobby, Large Gravel Pit, Osprey, Slurry Lagoon, Tree Pipit, warblersPete Smith

Very early this morning a Tree Pipit was calling as it flew north, following the Trent. A Bittern flew from the Trent into the Slurry Lagoon reed-bed and an Osprey flew over on its migration. JV.

Later on, a Cuckoo was calling from the Deep Pit and a group of three Great White Egrets flew over the site , almost landing on the Slurry Lagoon before deciding to fly on. The Cuckoo continued flying around the Large Gravel Pit, still calling and a second Cuckoo was heard in the distance. Later the Cuckoo came back to the Slurry Lagoon and then a female flew from the reed-bed as the male flew around, still calling. Most of the warbler species were still singing well, especially a particular Garden Warbler. PS.

In the late morning a Hobby was hawking insects over the gravel pits. RJP.

Garden Warbler – PS.

Cuckoo – RJP.

Hobby – RJP.

Cuckoo – 22nd May

May 22, 2025Recent wildlife sightingscuckoo, Deep Pit, Egyptian Goose, Emperor Dragonfly, Great White Egret, Marsh Harrier, Oystercatcher, Red KitePete Smith

This morning there were two Cuckoos seen in the Deep Pit. It was not possible to say for certain if they were a male and a female or two males. Later a Great White Egret flew over to the north and then three Red Kites also flew over to the north. The Deep Pit had three Oystercatchers on one of its Tern Rafts and eight Egyptian Geese also flew into the Deep Pit. On the bank a teneral Emperor Dragonfly was resting in some tall grass. PS.

Later a Marsh Harrier was reported from the Deep Pit. RJP.

Teneral Emperor Dragonfly. PS.

Cuckoo – 18th May

May 18, 2024Recent wildlife sightingscuckooPete Smith

This morning a Cuckoo was at last heard calling at the lagoons. NH.

Water Rail – 12th May

May 12, 2022Recent wildlife sightings12th May, 2022, cuckoo, Deep Pit, Ecopark, greenshank, Hobby, House Martin, Little Ringed Plover, Slurry Lagoon, Swift, water rail, Wood Sandpiper, Yellow WagtailPete Smith

This morning a pair of Water Rail were seen on the Slurry Lagoon, with a chick. The Cuckoo was singing from the Slurry Lagoon and Large Gravel Pit all morning. Up to six Swifts were foraging over the north end of the Deep Pit and Slurry Lagoon, with sometimes a small flock of House Martins. RJP.

A Hobby was seen over the Slurry Lagoon and 3 LRPs a Greenshank and 2 Wood Sandpipers were on the Ecopark along with 2 Yellow Wagtails. IEP.

Wood Sandpiper – 28th April

April 28, 2022Recent wildlife sightings2022, 28th April, Common Tern, cuckoo, Deep Pit, Ecopark, Swallow, Wood SandpiperPete Smith

A Wood Sandpiper was seen, early afternoon, on the Ecopark. RW.

In the morning the Cuckoo was about, Swallows were passing through on passage and a Common Tern visited the Deep Pit. IEP.

Little Ringed Plover – 25th April

April 25, 2022Recent wildlife sightings2022, 25th April, Arctic Tern, cuckoo, Deep Pit, Ecopark, Green Sandpiper, Grey Wagtail, House Martin, kingfisher, Large Gravel Pit, Lesser Whitethroat, Little Ringed Plover, ShelduckPete Smith

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

April 23, 2022Recent wildlife sightings2022, 23rd April, Arctic Tern, cuckoo, Garden Warbler, Large Gravel Pit, Lesser Whitethroat, Little Gull, Raven, Slurry Lagoon, St.Mark's Fly, Whimbrel, Willow WarblerPete Smith

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.

Bittern – 7th June

June 7, 2021Recent wildlife sightings2021, 7th June, Bittern, cuckoo, Deep Pit, Large Gravel Pit, Little Egret, Mute Swan, Slurry LagoonPete Smith

This morning a Bittern was seen, first flying around the Deep Pit and then over the Slurry Lagoon, there was also a Little Egret in the Deep Pit. The Mute Swans on the Slurry Lagoon now have five cygnets and the pair on the Large Gravel Pit have three. A Cuckoo was heard calling for about an hour from the large willow by the Large Gravel Pit. PS.

House Sparrow – 28th May

May 28, 2021Recent wildlife sightingsBrimstone, Buzzard, Common Blue, cuckoo, Grasshopper Warbler, Green Hairstreak, green woodpecker, Green-veined White, Hobby, House Sparrow, Large White, Latticed Heath, Lower Path, Orange-tip, PeacockPete Smith

A male House Sparrow was seen this morning on the Lower Path, close to the river. This is a very rare sighting now at the lagoons. Also heard or seen were a Cuckoo, Green Woodpecker and Grasshopper Warbler along with four Brimstones, five Green Hairstreaks, ten Common Blues, four male Orange-tips, two Green-veined Whites, a Peacock, a Large White and a Latticed Heath. SC/PG.

Also seen this morning were three Hobbies, two Buzzards and a mass of gulls and terns catching flying ants. PS.

Red Kite – 27th May

May 27, 2021Recent wildlife sightingsBlackcap, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Cettis Warbler, Chiffchaff, Common Blue Damselfly, cuckoo, Four-spotted Chaser, Garden Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Pylon Path, Red Kite, Red-eyed Damselfly, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Slurry Lagoon, water rail, Whitethroat, Willow WarblerPete Smith

This morning the hepatic female Cuckoo was seen on the Slurry Lagoon. A Hobby was joined by a Red Kite as they both hawked for damselflies above the Pylon Path. All ten warbler species were heard singing, ( Cetti’s, Willow, Reed, Sedge, Garden, Grasshopper, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap and Chiffchaff.) some in good numbers. Later two Hobbies were hawking damselflies over the Slurry Lagoon and a Water Rail was heard chipping from the reed bed. The damselflies included Red-eyed, Common Blue and Blue-tailed plus a Four-spotted Chaser was seen. PS.