With autumn migration already underway, the variety and number of birds around the reserve has been gradually increasing again over the last few weeks.
One of the highlights from the past month has been a spoonbill which roosted on the lagoons on 6/7 and 7/7 (photo by Zak Spaull). Spoonbills are relatively scarce here with only five previous records, the last one being just over five years ago in June 2018.
A 2nd year Mediterranean gull seen on 26/6 had an interesting history of recent sightings, being ringed in Germany in July 2022 and seen in mid-Wales later that year in August, then re-sighted in Morocco in March this year before returning to Wales.
Great white egret have once again been seen very regularly with sightings of up to two birds on at least 21 dates over the past month, following the pattern of frequent sightings during the summers over the last few years.
Waders have included some interesting species including little ringed plover being seen surprisingly regularly with up to two birds on 11 dates. A spotted redshank made an appearance on 23/6, while greenshank were seen on three dates with a maximum of three birds on 12/7. Black-tailed godwit have begun to move south with eight first seen on 8/7, and a peak count so far of 31 on 12/7. Whimbrel have also been on the move with sightings of six birds on 11/7 and four on 13/7, while curlew numbers have quickly increased in recent weeks with at least 221 counted on 13/7. Common sandpiper have been seen regularly as well with a maximum of eight birds on 11/7, and one successful breeding pair fledging one chick, while a pair of oystercatcher also currently have two young.
Wildfowl have also been a little more varied in recent weeks with an increasing number of teal present, a female pochard seen from 23/6 to 28/6, and two wigeon on 27/6. Two female goosander were on the deep lagoon on 16/6 and a female merganser was present on 24/6, while up to three great crested grebe have been seen regularly. Canada geese numbers peaked at 228 and greylag geese at 51 which were recorded during the WeBS count on 9/7, along with 86 mallard. Three broods of gadwall and one brood of tufted duck also appeared between the middle and the end of June.
A red kite was over the reserve on 17/6, and peregrine were seen on 2/7 and 13/7.
Dragonflies have included good numbers of black-tailed skimmer (pictured) which had previously emerged, and southern hawker from 6/7, while new butterflies for the year included ringlet from 16/6 and gatekeeper from 30/6. A wall brown on 18/6 was notable, while other common butterfly species have included meadow brown, comma, holly blue and red admiral along with moth species including six-spot burnet and cinnabar.