West End: 7 Common Terns at rafts, 2 Lapwing on Pintail bank, Garden & Reed Warbler still singing at Car Park area.
Whillets: Pairs of both Large Red & Azure Damselflies seen ovipositing at Meadow Pond also 1 Beautiful Demoiselle seen. 1 Small Copper butterfly. Reed Warblers in Whillets Pool reed-bed can be heard singing from the road.
West End: Several of the Grey Heron young have successfully fledged with nests now slowly emptying, Many of the Cormorant nests now have young (none yet fledged) and from the road listen to the marked difference in the begging call sounds between young Cormorants and Herons, 4 pairs of Common Terns & 1 Pied Wagtail seen at rafts, 1 Mute Swan, 2 Mallard broods seen on water (Ducks with 5 young & 2 young) + 12 Drakes, 2M Mandarin, 2 Coot. Around the Car Park singing Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff & Reed Warbler.
Whillets: At least 2 Reed Warblers in reed bed, also in meadows a singing Reed Bunting, Bullfinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff & Blackcap, plus 3 Garden Warblers & Whitethroats,
Whillet’s:- 3 Reed Warblers, 2 Garden Warblers, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 5 Grass Snakes, 1 Toad.
West End:- 2 Common Sandpipers, 1 Mute Swan, 1 Coot, 2 Swallows, 1 Kingfisher.
Dam End:- 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 6 House Martin, 2 Grey Wagtail, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap.
North Bank:- 3 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Whitethroat.
West End:- 32 Great Crested Grebe (3 nests), 24 Cormorant (10 nests), 1 Mute Swan, 6 Canada Geese, 6m+1f Mandarin, 1f Mallard with 5 young, 4m+2f Tufted Duck, 1 Moorhen, 2 Coot, 4 Common Tern, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 6 Swallow, 1 Dunnock, 2 Pied Wagtail, 1 Goldfinch singing, 1 Wren.
West End:- 15 Grey Heron including recently fledged young seen standing along Pintail Bank, 3 Egyptian Geese, 2m Mandarin, 2 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 2 Coot, 2 on raft + 6 Common Tern seen flying & interacting above the reserve, Reed Warbler singing in front of the hide. Several large fish (Carp?) in the shallows.
West End:- 44 Great Crested Grebe, 11 Canada Geese, 4 Common Tern, 1 Kingfisher.
Whillet’s:- Toad (pic), 2 Wood Mouse, Red Kite, 2 Ravens ~ also Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff & Whitethroat seen or heard.
Moth Box :– 1 Brimstone (pic), 1 Grey Birch (pics – “can you find it on the tree?” ), 2 Brown Silver-line, 1 Clouded Drab, 1 Hebrew Character, 1 male Muslin Moth (pic), 3 Nut Tree Tussock (pic), 1 Red Twin-spot Carpet also a Hawthorn fly aka St Marks fly (pic).
The note on our Members Spring Walk on 28th April 2018 with photographs can be seen HERE.
Dam End:- 2 Garden Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 2 Common Whitethroat, 2 Coal Tit, 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Woodpecker, 3 Common Terns, 5 Goldfinch.
Whillet’s:- 4 Blackcap, 2 Garden Warbler, 2 Common Whitethroats, 2 Song Thrush taking food to nest, 2 Chiffchaff, 3 Swallows, 1 Red Kite, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 2 Ravens.
