The latest spoonbill update is that there are now three confirmed nest sites with young in each. Up to twenty spoonbills have now been seen in one view with a visiting teaspoon amongst them, presumably from the Humber area. The best place to view from is the coal tips, there are benches in place overlooking the moat area as well as fencing where you can either use a scope with a hide clamp or just rest your arms on with binoculars.
Flashes
Decent wader numbers around the flashes recorded with up to six green sandpipers, 17 black-tailed godwit, three common sandpiper, three avocet, four common sandpiper, five little ringed plover, three redshank, two oystercatcher, 17 curlew, greenshank, dunlin, and water rail. The cattle egret has been seen most days feeding around the flashes or amongst the cattle. A bittern was seen flying over the moat on 30th June. Raptors seen have been up to two peregrines (including juveniles), red kite, buzzard and marsh harrier. Other notable sightings have been of 17 teal, two cetti’s warblers, two ravens and a grasshopper warbler in Robins Reed bed.
Juvenile peregrine - Jon Buxton
Main bay and village bay
Not much to report from this part of the reserve, sightings have been of two little ringed plover with a single juvenile, ringed plover, common sandpiper and green sandpiper. A possible ferruginous duck was sighted on 20th July; the bird has a yellow iris, which suggests a hybrid, instead of the normal white iris.
A single ringed plover is the only wader report from Charlie’s Hide; summer vegetation does make it difficult to pick up smaller birds. A cetti’s warbler was also seen feeding a young bird.
Grey heron - Keith Boyer
Coal Tips
Bearded tits have been more visible of late with a maximum of 13 birds seen on one occasion. Bittern sightings have been thin on the ground lately but two were seen on the south-east lagoon on 7th July, also noted on the same day were three green woodpeckers and two linnets. Black-necked grebes have also reappeared on the west lagoon after a lengthy absence with two adults seen on several occasions. Other sightings have been of three common terns and a single kestrel. Meanwhile on Big Hole the successful brood of little ringed plovers seem to be doing well, three juveniles have been noted regularly but the presence of a few larger gulls is a real threat.
Black-necked grebes - John Price
Visitor Centre
A juvenile kingfisher was seen at the screen confirming a successful brood somewhere on site! The garden warbler and cetti’s warbler continue to entertain around the visitor centre; they were joined briefly by a family of treecreepers and a calling willow tit. A couple of sightings from Pick Up hide of a bittern on 1st July and a hobby over on the 5th July.
Butterflies & Dragonflies
Current list of butterflies reported on the reserve are small skipper, large skipper, meadow brown, common blue, speckled wood, red admiral, green-veined white, painted lady, ringlet, comma, small tortoiseshell, gatekeeper, small white, large white, marbled white, white-letter hairstreak, purple hairstreak
Purple hairstreak - Keith Boyer
Sightings around the reserve of common blue damselfly, azure damselfly, four spotted chaser, banded demoiselle, blue-tailed damselfly, large red damselfly, black-tailed skimmer, ruddy darter, brown hawker, emperor, southern hawker, common darter, emerald damselfly
Ruddy darter - Pete M
Other
Bees noted have been large earth bumblebee, stone bumblebee, and early bumblebee
For further information check out the sightings book at the visitor centre.