The first of the juvenile Common Terns has made it onto the Slurry Lagoon. It was expertly picking insects from the waters surface while its parents were aggressively attacking passing crows. The Gadwall duck still had all eleven of her ducklings with her. Also present were a pair of Teal and now two male Wigeon. PS.
Tag Archives: Slurry Lagoon
Dunlin – 30th May
This morning the rain persuaded some passing waders to pause on the Slurry Lagoon. Four Dunlin and three Ringed Plover were feeding on the exposed mud. Nine species of warbler were seen or heard and several were feeding fledglings and there were fledgling Swallows by the railway bridge. PS. AE.
Little Ringed Plover – 17th May
The Little Ringed Plover was back, displaying over the dry end of the Slurry this afternoon. Later it was seen feeding at the wet end. The pair of Yellow Wagtails were on the Causeway again and a Grasshopper Warbler was singing at the back of the Gravel Pits. PS.
Little Ringed Plover – 13th May
A sudden downpour this afternoon produced three Little Ringed Plovers on the Slurry Lagoon. For a while they were feeding on the shoreline and then one started to fly over the lagoon calling in a display flight. Soon the other two joined it and all three were calling as they gained height and continued their journey. PS.
Greenshank – 2nd May
This morning a Greenshank briefly joined the Dunlin and Garganey on the Slurry Lagoon. A Peregrine caused panic amongst the feral pigeons and Carrion Crows, and two male Cuckoos were around the Gravel and Deep Pits. Good numbers of warblers were counted and one or two Yellow Wagtails flew across the site. PS.
Garganey – 29th April
The male Garganey was still present on the Slurry Lagoon this morning. The female Goosander was also still present on the river by the Poulser Brook. There were seven Garden Warblers singing and two Cuckoos were seen. PS.
Lesser Whitethroat – 9th April
A Lesser Whitethroat was heard and seen near the bench half-way down the North-East side of the Slurry Lagoon late this afternoon and four House Martins were also seen. PB.
Migrants Return – 3rd April
During the last few days many migrant species have been returning to the lagoons and helped to provide a quite exciting morning’s watching in very pleasant bright weather this morning. Amongst others, the Sand Martins are now present in considerable numbers on the river bank. Willow Warblers were noted in several locations, as were Chiffchaffs and one or two Blackcaps. A single Reed Warbler was heard in the Deep Pit and a Whitethroat in the brambles on the Slurry Lagoon. The highlight of the morning was a Wheatear, which perched very close on fence posts, and the close second was the appearance of three Buzzards, which displayed well, including an aerial fight. The Cetti’s Warbler was in good voice also.
Meanwhile two Common Terns were struggling with Black-headed Gulls for space on the tern platform.
Butterflies, including Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Comma, and Red Admiral were noted and the Blackthorn Blossom was a sight to see (and smell). A Yellow Wagtail was also seen over the Large Gravel Pit and six Shelduck flew into the Slurry Lagoon.
PS/NM/RW/AR/ DG/LD/AE
Common Tern – 1st April
A Common Tern was resting on one of the tern platforms this afternoon. As we watched it a Willow Warbler started to sing on the Causeway bank, inside the Deep Pit. The Cetti’s Warbler and a Chiffchaff were also singing there. There were several Chiffchaffs singing around the site and some Sand Martins were flying overhead. On the Slurry Lagoon there were still some Teal and Shoveler and a Shelduck later joined them. On the dry end of the Slurry Lagoon there was a female Wheatear. PS. DG. RW.
Swallow – 25th March
This morning a Swallow flew straight through over the site. NM.
There were also several Sand Martins and Chiffchaffs and another Wheatear was seen on the dry end of the Slurry Lagoon. Several butterflies were seen including a Red Admiral. PS.