Recent Sightings & Highlights 07/08/24 - 04/09/24 - Charlie's Blacktoft Blog - Blacktoft Sands

xDarrenx

4 Sep 2024

Recent Sightings & Highlights 07/08/24 - 04/09/24

(scroll to end for Reserve News and Events)

Raptors

Hobby

Marsh Harrier

Sparrow Hawk

Kestrel

Peregrine Falcon

Barn Owl

Buzzard

Waders

Curlew Sandpiper (2 x juveniles)

Greenshank

Spotted Redshank

Redshank

Green Sandpiper

Black-tailed Godwit

Avocet

Snipe

Ringed Plover

Ruff

Curlew

Lapwing

Water Rail (adult & juveniles)

Oyster Catcher

Common Sandpiper

Dunlin

Grey Plover

Golden Plover

Turnstone (passing over)

Passerines

Bearded Tit

Yellow Wagtail

Whinchat

Stonechat

Tree Sparrow

Willow Warbler

Chiff Chaff

Reed Bunting

Linnet

Reed Bunting

Reed Warbler (mostly migrated now)

Sedge Warbler (mostly migrated now)

Goldfinch

Blackbird

Dunnock

Song Thrush

Wren

Robin

Chaffinch

Long-tailed Tit

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Blackcap

Starling

Cetti’s Warbler

Skylark

Hirundines

Swallow

House Martin

Swift

Sand Martin

Water Fowl

Teal (large numbers gathering)

Shoveler

Gadwall

Mallard

Tufted Duck

Mute Swan

Canada Goose

Greylag

Little Grebe

Coot

Moorhen (lots of juveniles)

Gulls & Water Birds

Black-headed Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Cormorant

Herons

Bittern

Great White Egret

Little Egret

Cattle Egret

Spoonbill

Grey Heron

Others

Raven (passing over)

Rook (flock of around 50 over Ouse)

Carrion Crow

Stock Dove

Wood Pigeon

Magpie

Pheasant

Mammals

Koniks Ponies

Water Vole

Hare

Roe Deer

Weasel

Stoat

Butterflies & Insects

Peacock

Red Admiral

Speckled Wood

Comma

Gren Veined White

Large White

Small White

Copper Underwing moth

Flame Shoulder moth

Goat Moth Caterpillar (2^nd record for reserve)

Common Toad

Common Darter

Ruddy Darter

Southern Migrant Hawker

Reserve News & Events

Please note: As of Monday 30^th September we’ll be switching to our winter opening schedule. This means Reception Hide will be open at weekends only. Also as the nights draw in the reserve and facilities will close earlier. Please check our social media for the most up to date closing times.

As we drift into late summer it’s always fascinating to observe those little signals that the seasons are changing. Things like an influx of teal, up to around 200 across the reserve. A small number of teal do breed in the UK, mainly in the north, but up to half a million will return from their breeding grounds in northern and eastern Europe to over winter in the UK.

There are other little signs as well. Starlings are beginning to flock together – a small flock of around 500 were seen recently at the back of the reserve over the River Ouse giving us a miniature murmuration recently. Rows of swallows gathering together on telephone lines as I pass through the villages on my journey to the reserve.

It’s been a great time at the reserve for passage waders too. There’s been a great variety across the lagoons but perhaps the highlight was a pair of young curlew sandpipers feeding on Singleton lagoon. They were around for almost a week and they keep dropping in now and again. Lots of other waders around too – if you need a wader fix now is definitely the right time.

For me perhaps the most exciting discovery this last month is our second record of goat moth caterpillar. This indicates that there may be a thriving colony of goat moths here at Blacktoft. They have an unusual lifecycle. Staying in caterpillar form for up to 5 years and growing up to 10cm long they bore into trees and feed on the pulp. They emerge as they are about to pupate looking for muddy areas where they form their cocoon (chrysalis) around this time. They’ll emerge as moths next June/July. They don’t have a mouth of way of feeding in moth form (adult), their only purpose is to mate and perpetuate the species.