North Shore:- 4 Little Egrets.
South Bank:- 2 Kingfishers flying.
West End Car Park:- 66 Greylag Geese, 44 Great Crested Grebe, 9 Grey Heron, 1 Little Egret, 12 Cormorant, 1 Moorhen, 16 Mallard, 8 Mandarin, 6 Common Terns, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Swallows, 4 Lapwing, 3 Carrion Crows, 2 Pied Wagtails, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1m Blackcap, 1 Treecreeper, 1 Blue Tit. 1 Chiffchaff, numerous Woodpigeons and 1 Reed Warbler at Whillet’s Pond.
West End :- 1 Common Sandpiper, 4 Lapwing, 6 Common Terns+ 4 Chicks, 8 Mandarins, 2 Kingfisher, 1 Pied Wagtail + 2 young, 1 Grey Wagtail carrying food to nest, 57 Great Crested Grebes + 4 on nests, 4 Cormorants nest +2 young, 60 Greylag Geese, 2 Bullfinch, Reed Warbler, 4 Swallows, 1 Fox, 1 Fallow Deer.
Whillet’s:- 1 Kingfisher, 3+ Reed Warblers, 56 Meadow Brown, 1 Red Admiral, 12 Large Skipper, 1 Ringlet, 1 Four-Spotted Chaser, 1 Broad-bodied Chaser, 2 Emperor Dragonflies.
I put out a moth box at Whillet’s meadows on Thursday night, the moth list for the night was 45 moths from 21 species. My highlights were 2 new species for the reserve. A rather plain looking moth called Grass Rivulet (see pic) which is actually a day-flyer normally late afternoon, although not rare it is rather local as the food plant for the larvae is Yellow Rattle. Another new species to us was a night flyer called Small Clouded Brindle (see pic) which is fairly common, one of its larval food plants being Reed Canary Grass which grows at Whillet’s Pool. A Pale Prominent & Sallow Kitten moth (see pics) which are common, their larval food plants including Willows.
The following night, Friday 16/6, I put out the moth box in the study area, by coincidence there were 45 moths but slightly more species 23. No new species but a rather fresh Buff Arches (see pic) was seen. It is also common its larval food plant being Bramble.
On the 18/6 I popped over to Whillet’s for a butterfly count – 32 Meadow Brown, 3 Large Skipper, 2 Small Skipper, 2 Burnet Companion moths. On checking Meadow Pond an Emperor Dragonfly was seen (see pic). A quick look at Whillet’s Pool gave an even more impressive view of Orange Foxtail (see pic).
A look at the West End confirmed that all 3 Common Tern pairs on the rafts had at least one chick. Also seen were 1 Little Egret, 4 Lapwing, 1 Pied Wagtail. One Cormorant nest still has a growing chick. I also saw in the distance what looked like a Mink swimming close to Pintail Bank. It swam into Plaw Hatch Stream.
I did a flower survey at the Dam End meadows; among the plants found were: 80+ Common Spotted flower spikes, skullcap & dyers greenweed.
A Curlew was flying around.
15-06-17 at Whillet’s there were 2 Kingfishers.
West End:- 64 Greylag Geese, 3 Lapwings, 1 Pied Wagtail, 3 pairs of Common Terns, 4 Cormorants on nest including one with 2 young, 2 Mandarins, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff.
WeBS for the Nature Reserve.
All Reservoir
56 Great Crested Grebe some nesting has now started at West End, 13 Cormorant with at least 3 nests at West End and 1 chick seen, 13 Grey Heron, 39 Mallard, 4 Lapwing, 5 Swallow, 7 House Martin.
Dam End:- 4 + 6 juv Canada Geese, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Black-headed Gull, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Herring Gull, Green & Great Spotted Woodpeckers heard, 2 Grey Wagtail, 4 Pied Wagtail, 1 Song Thrush, 2 Blackcap
West End:- 67 Greylag, 7 + 1 juv Mandarin, 3 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 1 Moorhen, 7 Common Tern (3 pairs on Rafts), 1 Reed Warbler, 6 juv Long-tailed Tit (See pic).
Whillets:- 3 Reed Warbler, 2 Reed Bunting, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Willow Warbler heard, 3 juv Goldfinch; also 1 Fox.
Butterflies:- 14 Meadow Brown, 5 Small Skipper, 1 Common Blue (See pic) also a Cinnabar & Burnet Companion day flying moths.
At Whillet’s Pool a rarer grass for Sussex the “Orange Foxtail” is thriving
and currently flowering (See pics).
Red Kite approached from the Dam End quartering the margins and passed over the hide towards Willet’s (11:40).
