Recent Sightings & Highlights 06.08.24
(scroll to end for Reserve News and Events)
Raptors
Marsh Harrier
Hobby
Peregrine Falcon
Barn Owl
Buzzard
Kestrel
Sparrowhawk
Red Kite
Waders
Ruff
Spotted Redshank
Redshank
Black-tailed Godwit
Green Sandpiper
Greenshank
Snipe
Lapwing
Bar-tailed Godwit (flying through 06.08.24)
Curlew
Common Sandpiper
Avocet
Water Rail (with juveniles)
Passerines
Bearded Tit
Corn Bunting (flying north 16.07.24)
Tree Sparrow
Yellow Wagtail (juvenile)
Grey Wagtail
Sedge Warbler
Reed Warbler
Reed Bunting (including leucistic)
Willow Warbler
Cetti’s Warbler
Long-tailed Tit
Pied Wagtail (lots of juveniles)
Whitethroat
Blackcap
House Sparrow
Blackbird
Robin
Chaffinch
Chiff Chaff
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Skylark
Stonechat
Dunnock
Linnet
Wren
Starling
Hirundines
Swift
Swallow
House Martin
Sand Martin
Water Fowl
Shoveler
Pochard
Mallard
Greylag
Tufted Duck
Shelduck
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Teal
Wigeon
Gadwall
Little Grebe (with juveniles)
Coot
Moorhen (lots of juveniles)
Gulls & Waterbirds
Common Scoter (flying up Ouse 31.07.24 late)
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Cormorant
Greater Black-backed Gull
Black-headed Gull
Herons
Great White Egret
Bittern
Little Egret
Spoonbill
Grey Heron
Others
Stock Dove
Carrion Crow
Magpie
Pheasant
Mammals
Koniks Ponies
Water Vole
Hare
Fox
Roe Deer
Pygmy Shrew
Butterflies & Insects
Red Admiral
Peacock
Speckled Wood
Green Veined White
Meadow Brown
Gate Keeper
Comma
Small White
Emperor Dragonfly
Southern Hawker Dragonfly
Brown Hawker Dragonfly
Ruddy Darter Dragonfly
Common Darter Dragonfly
Toadlets (lots of)
Sallow Kitten moth
Poplar Hawk moth
Gold Spot moth
Fen Wainscot moth
July Highflyer moth
Reserve News & Events
It’s summer at last! Well mostly. The sun has come out more days than not and the temperatures have risen. With that comes the insects. Dragonflies are especially spectacular just now with regular sighting of southern and migrant hawkers but we’ve also seen emperor and brown hawkers too. But insect numbers are well below average this year – noticeably! Some species of butterflies have been very prevalent, others not so much. I haven’t seen a common blue at all this season. Reports have suggested that flying insect have declined by 60% in the last 20 years – impacting food security (less pollinators) but also reducing food sources for our bird life. Lots of insects lay their eggs in wetland areas and when they hatch their larvae also become a food source for our birds. That’s why it really important that we protect our wetland areas – Not just here on the Humber either!
Colder wetter springs and early summers has a devasting effect on our insect life as well as our avian friends. A balanced eco system sustains itself but when these ‘imbalances’ occur it can have real consequences.
It seems the vast majority of the breeding season has finished (although there are lots of young still around). This means the warden team have been able to get in front of the hides and cut the vegetation. Lots of hard work means that views across the lagoons have been greatly enhanced. We apologise if you have been affected by disturbance from our team but we do try to keep this to an absolute minimum by working earlier in the mornings and later in the evenings where possible.
Lastly, our most asked question just now is ‘is there water on Ousefleet lagoon?’. The short answer is no. However this is a natural function of Ousefleet flash and we have no control over it. Once if dries out (usually late spring although it was later this year due to an unduly high water table and lots of rain) it becomes a grassy scrubland. When it floods again in the autumn the vegetation under water (which has often shed seeds) becomes a fantastic food source for lots of the wintering water fowl that use Blacktoft as their wintering grounds. When it does flood it flushes insects from the undergrowth. In recent years impressive numbers of hirundines have taken advantage of this before there long migration journey to Africa for the winter.
Here's a few of our favourite recent pics!
Bittern (Pic S. Feane)
Male Marsh Harrier to Juv food pass (Pic Pippa S.)
Tree Sparrow feeding young (Pic P.Short)
Great White Egret (Pic D.Johnson)
Hobby with dragonfly (Pic A.Hunt)
Juvenile Yellow Wagtail (Pic D.Johnson)
Adult & Juvenile Snipe (Pic P.Short)
Yellow Hammer (Pic D.Johnson)
Buzzard with prey (Pic P.Short)
Juvenile Water Rail (Pic A.Hunt)
Black-tailed Godwit (Pic D.Johnson)
Juvenile Peregrine (D.Johnson)
Juvenile Moorhen (Pic D.Johnson)
Water Vole (Pic M.Booth)
Plum Reed Aphid (Pic P.Short)
Female Southern Hawker (Pic D.Johnson)
Sallow Kitten Moth (Pic D.Johnson)
Apologies our regular Monday moth morning on 12th August will not take place due to staff annual leave but will resume on Monday 19th August. It’s free to come along and discover what we got in the trap as we open it from 9.30am. Donations welcome!
Happy birding everyone.
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