Water levels in the lagoons may be at their lowest that we've recorded here for many years, but this certainly hasn't deterred the presence of a good variety of autumn migrants and other bird species around the reserve.
Kingfisher sightings have been regular over the past month as they often are at this time of year, with sightings on 12 dates including two individuals seen together on 3/9 (library photo by Ben Andrew, RSPB Images).
As autumn migration continues, the variety of waders has been steadily picking up with highlights including up to two regular spotted redshank, individual green sandpiper and little ringed plover both on 17/8, up to two juvenile ruff present since 2/9, up to three little stint since 4/9, and a curlew sandpiper on 5/9 . Black-tailed godwit have been frequently seen with a peak count of 16 on 28/8, while greenshank have often been present in smaller numbers with a maximum of four on 4/9. Turnstone are seen surprisingly infrequently here, with one present on the deep lagoon from 23/8 to 24/8. Two knot were recorded on 17/8 and again on 24/8, while small numbers of ringed plover were present on several dates with a maximum of seven on 22/8, another two species seen a lot less here than might be expected. Meanwhile whimbrel have continued to move through with a maximum of five recorded during the monthly WeBS count on 14/8, and a bar-tailed godwit was seen on 5/9. Dunlin have also been present in small numbers, while snipe have been seen daily feeding around the lagoon edges, and at least one common sandpiper remains.
Numbers and variety of wildfowl are increasing as we head further towards autumn, with five pintail on 5/9 being one of the highlights so far. Wigeon are now totalling at least 60 individuals, and numbers of teal and shoveler have been steadily increasing. Great crested grebe have been seen almost daily with up to four present over the past month, while a single merganser was recorded on 21/8. Water rail were slightly later than usual in arriving this year, and have been present around the lagoons since 23/8.
Migrant passerines during the past month have included a wheatear on 8/8 and tree pipit on 22/8, while most of our breeding warblers are still present, if rather elusive with reed warbler, whitethroat, lesser whitethroat, blackcap and chiffchaff all seen in recent weeks.
Other highlights have included regular great white egrets once again with up to two individuals seen on 16 dates over the past month, individual juvenile Mediterranean gulls on 10/8 and 13/8, and an osprey over the reserve on 20/8.
The warm and sunny weather has continued to produce good numbers of insect records, and it’s certainly been a good year for clouded yellow butterflies with further sightings on 7/8, 9/8 and 26/8 following our previous early record from the end of May. A grayling seen on the estuary track on 22/8 was also a good record for the reserve and although the species is abundant in the local area, this was surprisingly only the third recorded here, the last one being in September 2015. Other butterflies have included small copper on 19/8 and 28/8, a painted lady on 22/8, and good numbers of red admiral (pictured) and speckled wood still present.
Meanwhile dragonflies have included regular sightings of southern hawker, migrant hawker, and common darter, often around the Bridge Pond.