Category: Sighting

West End:- Still 10 adult Common Terns and their 14 young are growing fast, 2 Lapwing, 2 Mandarin, 89 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Mute Swan, 1 Coot, 3 Buzzard, 5 Swallows, 2 Goldfinches, 4 Black-headed Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Purple Emperor, 1 Purple Hairstreak.

Sightings from Bill Truckle: 13^th June a Barn Owl flew in front of the hide and over towards Whillet’s; 24th June female Shelduck.

West End:- the partly fledged Common Tern chick seen yesterday was still on the water this morning. Later the wind picked up and it managed to take off and got back onto the right-hand raft. A count of the Tern chicks being fed this morning revealed that there are 4 Common Tern pairs with 3 young, and 1 pair with 2 young making 14 in total. They all looked well with food regularly coming in.  When a Herring Gull flew over the rafts it was quite a spectacle to see 10 Terns attacking it and driving it off. There were 4 Black-headed Gulls around the reserve which were left alone by the Terns. But it was noticeable that the Black-headed’s did not risk actually flying over the rafts.

Bill Truckle saw 92 Great Crested Grebes and a Kingfisher this morning.

26 Cormorant, 6 Grey Heron, 1 Mute Swan, 44 Greylag, 4 Mandarin included 2 juveniles, 10 Mallard, 1 Moorhen, 1 Coot, 2 Lapwing, 1 Feral Dove, 2 Stock Dove, 1 Swift, 2 Swallow, Reed Warbler & Blackcap heard.

Whillet’s:- Grey Wagtail was seen by Richard Lowe this morning.

I recorded a Six-spot Burnet Moth on a knapweed flower; our last record of this day flying moth in Whillet’s was back in 2014 (photo).

West End-10 adult Common Terns,at least 12 young including one which is semi fledged on the water.3 Black-headed Gulls,2 Mandarins.

Whillet’s:- 3 Reed Buntings,1 Garden Warbler,2 Chiffchaff,5 Whitethroats,1 Jay,1 Brown Hawker,1 Rudder Darter,5 Blue-Tail Damselfly,3 White-Legged Damselfly.

Whillet’s:- A moth box overnight produced two new moth species for the reserve: Bird’s Wing & Barred Straw, I also trapped a Poplar Hawkmoth, Buff Tip & Large Emerald. In total 28 moths from 9 species, but none were particularly rare. A butterfly transect count today showed Ringlets & Meadow Browns were on the wing in numbers with a count of 43 & 49 respectively, also noted were 1 Speckled Wood, 1 Comma, 1 Common Blue, 5 Small Skipper.

West End:- Great Crested Grebe numbers are increasing with a count of 78 today. The 5 pairs of Common Terns on the rafts are still busy raising young, with plenty of food coming in.

West End:- (09:30 to 10:00) 59 Great Crested Grebes 3 pairs display dancing and 2 sat on nests, Common Terns active feeding chicks.

Whillet’s:- 2 Reed Buntings, 1 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroats, 1 Marsh Tit, 1 Kestrel, 1 Bullfinch, 1 Common Lizard, 6 Grass Snake, 2 Small Skippers, 3 White-legged Damselfly, 1 Blue-tail Damselfly, 1 Emperor Dragonfly.

Butterfly transect walk and check at the pond after the Work Party had finished.
Whillet’s:- 1 Ringlet (first of the season – picture), 12 Meadow Brown, 1 Common Blue, 3 Large Skipper, plus 1 day flying moth –  Yellow Shell (picture). 2 Blue-tailed Damselflies, many Azure Damselflies, 1 Emperor Dragonfly, 1 Banded Demoiselle. Blackbirds & Song Thrushes were singing also 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Buzzard and 1 Kestrel over.
The meadow pond (picture) was surveyed recently and found to be very healthy with a good mix of species. A short dipping session earlier in the day by one of our volunteers included a Water Stick Insect. Also seen was a large Dragonfly larva with many other larvae and water beetles.

West End:- 10 adult Common Terns with 14 chicks, 1 adult Mediterranean Gull, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Herring Gull, 7 Lapwings, 2 Kingfisher, 2 Swifts, 1 Swallow, 2 Reed Warblers, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Coots, 1 Moorhen, 53 Greylag Geese, 3 Canada Geese, 1 Kestrel, 2 Buzzard, 2 Pied Wagtail, 3 Goldfinch, 1 Mute Swan, 1 male Black-Tailed Skimmer.

West End:- Probable Curlew flying over.

WeBS Counts
Dam End:-  2 Little Grebe on lagoon, 6 Mandarin, 7 Canada Geese with 4 well-grown young, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull & Black-headed Gull, 7 Herring Gull, 4 House Martin, 10 Swift, 4 Grey Wagtail, 2 Pied Wagtail, 1 Blackcap & Chiffchaff plus another Blackcap & 3 Chiffchaff along part of South Bank.
West End:- All 5 pairs of Common Terns nesting on rafts now have at least one hatched young each with 10 chicks in total, 47 Great Crested Grebe with at least 6 nests, 30 Cormorant, 7 Grey Heron, 1 Mute Swan, 34 Greylag, 1 Mandarin, 2 Buzzard, 1 Coot, Stock Dove heard, 1 Pied Wagtail at rafts, Reed Warbler.
Whillet’s:- At least another 2 Reed Warbler, 1 Reed Bunting.
The photos show the area on the South Bank for the intended new reed bed.