Tag Archives: Kittiwake

Arctic Tern – 5th May

Early this morning there were two Hobbies hawking around the lagoons. About mid-morning up to three Arctic Terns flew through to the north. They were accompanied by around five Common Terns which seemed more preoccupied with courting. Later a Kittiwake was seen over the Deep Pit, on its way north east. Several small groups of Swifts flew through and, for a while , seven House Martins were feeding over the Slurry Lagoon and Causeway. PS.

Kittiwake – 13th April

More evidence that migration is underway – an adult Kittiwake rested for about half an hour on the Deep Pit mid morning and earlier the first Common Tern of the year was on one of the Tern Platforms and a Common Sandpiper was feeding along the river bank.  Warbler numbers are increasing with a number of Chiffchaffs singing around the Reserve and at least two Willow Warblers and a couple of Blackcaps were also seen. 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.