Recent Sightings & Highlights 01.05.24 to 20.05.24

xDarrenx

20 May 2024

Recent Sightings & Highlights 01.05.24 to 20.05.24

(scroll to end for Reserve News and Events)

Raptors

Marsh Harrier

Hobby

Barn Owl

Sparrowhawk

Kestrel

Buzzard

Red Kite (over reserve heading towards arable)

Waders

Avocet

Black-tailed Godwit

Lapwing

Spotted Redshank

Oyster Catcher

Redshank

Dunlin

Common Sandpiper

Greenshank

Whimbrel

Water Rail

Passerines

Kingfisher

Common Crane (occasional flights over towards Trent)

Tree Sparrow

Bearded Tit

Whitethroat

Lesser Whitethroat

Sedge Warbler

Reed Warbler

Skylark

Yellow Wagtail

Blackcap

Reed Bunting

Pied Wagtail

White Wagtail

Chiff Chaff

Cetti’s Warbler

Long-tailed Tit

Wren

Goldfinch

Dunnock

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Robin

Blackbird

Chaffinch

Linnet

Willow Warbler

Song Thrush

Starling

Meadow Pipit

Hirundines

Swallow

Swift

House Martin

Sand Martin

Water Fowl

Garganey (infrequent visitor)

Great Crested Grebe

Shelduck

Shoveler

Wigeon

Mallard (lots of chicks)

Gadwall (with chicks)

Pochard

Teal

Tufted Duck

Greylag

Canada Goose

Mute Swan

Little Grebe

Moorhen

Coot (multiple broods)

Gulls and Water Birds

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Black-headed Gull

Cormorant

Common Gull

Greater Black-backed Gull

Herons

Spoonbill

Bittern (booming and in flight)

Great White Egret

Little Egret

Grey Heron

Others

Cuckoo (seen and heard)

Stock Dove

Wood Pigeon

Magpie

Carrion Crow

Pheasant

Mammals

Konik Ponies

Weasel (carrying kit)

Water Vole

Bank Vole

Fox

Roe Deer

Brown Hare

Butterflies, Insects, Reptiles etc.

Grass Snake

Common Frog

Orange Tip butterfly

Green Veined White butterfly

Peacock

Tortoise Shell

Brimstone butterfly

Comma butterfly

Speckled Wood

Four Spotted Chaser dragonfly

Black-tailed Skimmer

Blue Damselfly

Large Red Damsefly

Poplar Hawk Moth

Reserve News & Events

11th May was World Migratory Bird day this year (don’t worry if you missed it there’s another one in October!). May and early June is an important time for our migratory birds. Some will stay here on the Humber and at Blacktoft to breed before heading back to their wintering grounds later in the year. Some will use our East Coast Wetlands to re-fuel on their epic journeys to Scandinavia, Iceland, Greenland and beyond.

As we drift into mid Spring (after a pretty cold and wet start) it seems that Blacktoft has at last come alive. The mornings generally greet us with sedge warblers, reed warblers and blackcaps (amongst others) competing for ‘air space’ as they sing.

One of the birds that I’m in awe of is cuckoo. So far this year I’ve only heard them (lots of others have seen them). But every time I do it reminds me of the amazing journey back to breed here. They over winter in west and central sub-saharan Africa. The adult birds are one of the later arrivals and amongst the first to leave us again towards and then of June/early July. Of course as parasitic nesters (laying their eggs in the nests of other species like reed warblers etc.) they don’t brood their eggs of have to feed up chicks, leaving this to surrogate parents, so they feed up for their long return journey. What amazes me just as much is the journey the fledglings make – how do they know? It must be instinct, they never meet their parents! It really is a miracle of nature.

Here's a few of our favourite recent pics!