This morning, during the Bird Count, a Bittern was seen flying around the Slurry Lagoon before crashing into a reed-bed. There was also a Yellow-legged Gull on the Deep Pit. PS.
Tag Archives: Deep Pit
Raven – 2nd August
Early this afternoon two Ravens were seen flying over the Deep Pit. PG.
Scarlet Tiger – 9th July
This morning, the third sighting this year of a Scarlet Tiger was had near the pump-house on the Lower Path. Later on, on the inside of the southern bank of the Deep Pit a Six-belted Clearwing was seen, egg-laying. PS.
Bittern – 7th June
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.
Bee Orchid – 6th June
This morning several Bee Orchid plants were found around the reserve but mainly at the northern end of the Deep Pit, on the inner bank. PS.
Northern Marsh Orchid – 4th June
This morning a male Sparrowhawk was seen displaying over the river. At the southern end of the Deep Pit there were at least 17 Northern Marsh Orchids and, on the railway bank, ten Pyramidal Orchids. There are still some Green Hairstreaks flying and plenty of Common Blues. PS.
Hobby – 1st June
This morning there was one Hobby seen over the Slurry Lagoon. 18 Blackcaps and 16 Garden Warblers were singing, 14 Reed Warblers and 12 Sedge Warblers, 10 Chiffchaffs and 9 Willow Warblers, 12 Whitethroats and 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 10 Cetti’s Warblers and 1 Grasshopper Warbler. PS
In the afternoon 6 Hobbies joined Black-headed Gulls hawking insects over the Slurry Lagoon and Deep Pit. IEP.
On the butterfly count, 9 Green Hairstreaks were seen and 26 Common Blues, plus a Small Copper and a Brown Argus. SC/PG
Bittern – 30th May
A Bittern was reported to have dropped into the reed bed in the Deep Pit. The Treecreepers by the footbridge have fledged at least one chick which was seen this morning and two Lesser Whitethroats were heard singing. DM.
Grasshopper Warbler – 20th May
This morning a rufous female Cuckoo was seen over the Slurry Lagoon reed-bed and the Grasshopper Warbler was reeling below the Deep Pit north bench. IEP.
Osprey – 5th May
This morning there were two Swifts with the hirundines feeding over the Slurry Lagoon and Deep Pit. Four Garden Warblers and five Willow Warblers were heard singing. PS.
In the late afternoon an Osprey flew over the Deep Pit, mobbed by at least twelve Common Terns. The Ecopark had one Wood Sandpiper, one Ringed Plover and a Dunlin. RW.