Dam End:- 2 Teal, 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 40 House Martins.
Dam End:- 2 Teal, 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 40 House Martins.
Dam End:- 2 Common Sandpipers. In the bushes quite a few Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs. The Whinchat was still around the far end of the dam and a Spotted Flycatcher was in the paddock.
Meadow Pond was productive.
Dragonflies ~ At least 1 Ruddy Darter, several Common Darter, 2 Brown Hawkers, 2 Southern Hawkers.
Damselflies ~ Up to 3 pairs of ovipositing Willow Emerald, 1 Emerald, 1 Blue-tailed, 2 Azure, 1 probable White Legged.
Another Willow Emerald Damselfly was seen along the river.
In Meadow 3 a new plant for the reserve was seen Small Balsam. It is related to Himalayan Balsam but is not invasive. Photos by Bob Johnson
Dam End:- 2 Common Sandpipers flew E, 3 more on dam. 1 Tufted Duck flew E, 272 Black-headed Gulls, 10 House Martin, 6 Swallow, 6 Chiffchaffs, 2 Bullfinch.
West End:- 323 Greylags, 5 Moorhen, 2 Mandarin.
Whillet’s:- 1 Whinchat, 3 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaffs, 30 Jackdaw flyovers, 1 Kestrel, 2 Bullfinch.
1 Golden-ringed Dragonfly, 6 Small Whites, 2 Common Blues, 1 Brown Argus.
Whillet’s:- ~ Butterflies: 1 Brown Hairstreak, 5 Speckled Wood, 1 Meadow Brown, 1 Peacock + late caterpillars on stinging nettles, 4 Small White, 1 Large White. Hornets nesting in a bird box.
~ Dragonflies: 2 Southern Hawker, 2 Brown Hawker, 5 pairs of Common Darters egg-laying at meadow pond, 2 Azure Damselflies.
~ Birds: Male Blackcap feeding on berries.
Weir Wood from dawn – Whillett’s:- 2 Water Rails were vying for my attention in the reed bed.
West End:- Green Sandpiper, Teal and 3 Shovellers.
Dam End:- 2 Curlew flew over (good bird here), 2 Common Sandpipers. A trio of hirundines and a Yellow Wagtail. Also Wigeon, juvenile Green Woodpecker and 2 Kingfishers.
Ringing this morning in Whillet’s saw a movement of warblers showing migration is underway for them at least. One of the first birds caught was a Lesser Whitethroat along with very bright Willow Warblers. Other species of note: two juvenile Reed Buntings, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Whitethroat and Blue Tit.
Other observations included: juvenile Buzzard and juvenile Kestrel, both calling throughout the morning. A Common Lizard was a nice surprise.