The reserve is starting to bloom with wildflowers! Foxgloves have sprouted all over the trail and look really stunning, particularly in contrast with the gorse which has just finished flowering. Look out for the pink pom-poms that are thrift and the sea of red across the vegetated shingle area which is sorrel.
One of my favourites, bird's foot trefoil is also flowering now and look out for the tiny red flowers of the scarlet pimpernel along the shingle banks.
Yellow flag iris can be seen along the waters edge and this is a brilliant food plant for bees as well as a perfect spot for pupating dragonflies and damselflies.
Dave Clarke
Wildlife highlights this week include lots of basking common lizards and grass snakes, common terns, stonechats, hobbies, bearded tits and bitterns. Lots of waders around including ringed plover, grey plover, sanderling, turnstone and little stint. More unusual sightings have been a whiskered and roseate tern which were seen on Monday this week.
Brown-tailed moth caterpillars are currently out in full force and are seen around the trail. These little creatures hairs can be quite irritating so please do not be tempted to pick them up.
It's half term next week, so why not come and join a spot of pond dipping on the reserve? There's plenty to see under the water including our amazing medicinal leeches, tadpoles, water scorpions and much more!