The reserve continues to be a sunny haven for wildlife this week, bringing wonderful opportunities to be surrounded by butterflies and dragonflies, and to spot lots of birds too.
The wildlife garden is growing by the day and attracting lots of interesting creatures.. here's a little quiz - can you see anything out of the ordinary among our runner beans ..? Answers below!
Highlight bird sightings this week, with the location and date last seen, are as follows:
Wigeon – one at Hookers pits on 13th. Bittern – one at Hooker’s viewpoint on 18th. Marsh harrier – four juveniles over Hooker’s ramp seen regularly. Hobby – one over reserve on 14th. Avocet – one near Makepeace hide on 18th. Little ringed plover – on Burrowes pit on 14th. Dunlin – on Burrowes pit on 13th. Ruff – one two near Makepeace hide on 18th. Black-tailed godwit – seven near Makepeace hide on 18th. Whimbrel – one on Burrowes pit on 14th. Curlew – at ARC on 16th Greenshank – one over reserve on 12th. Common sandpiper – on Burrowes pit on 16th. Turnstone – on Burrowe’s pit on 14th. Common gull – nesting on far left raft at Denge Marsh. Common tern – nesting on tern rafts at Denge Marsh. Kingfisher – one at ARC on 15th. Sand martin – many over the reserve on 16th. Wheatear – two at Denge Gully on 12th.
Dragonfly sightings have included: four spot chaser, emperor, brown hawker, ruddy darter, black tailed skimmer, common chaser.
Butterfly sightings have included: marbled white, meadow brown, painted lady, gatekeeper, red admiral, peacock, small copper, small skipper.
Did you spot the insect that had it's eye on the wildlife garden runner beans for it's dinner? It was a...
...great green bush cricket! And one that loved having it's photo taken too!