It may only be July but autumn migration is underway, waders are starting to move and the timing couldn’t be better with water levels dropping around the reserve. The top visitor would have to be the scarce wood sandpiper which has been present since the 10th July on spoonbill flash. The wood sandpiper is an elegant small wader with spangled upperparts, white supercilium (stripe above the eye) and either greenish or yellowish legs. Its breeding grounds range across northern Europe from Denmark moving eastwards across Russia. They migrate south towards Africa and south Asia through to Australia, and the odd few stray off the migration route and end up in the UK every year; Lin Dike hide was the place to be to view this little beauty.
Wood Sandpiper - Joe Seymour
Coal Tips
Not many reports of Bittern sightings of late so we wait with baited breath for the first appearance of her offspring, watch this space!
The pair of black-necked grebes have been seen regularly with 3 juveniles on the west lagoon, and also up to 4 adults on the south-east lagoon. An adult male bearded tit was seen near the west lagoon, 2 juveniles have also been noted in the same area.
Other sightings have been of a juvenile cuckoo on the 6th July, also up to 5 common terns and a single juvenile over the lagoons. A pair of yellowhammers were seen at big hole, and a common gull was also seen on the 14th July.
A notable overflight on the evening of 9th July was an osprey heading west; hopefully we may be entertained by a visiting juvenile soon whilst they fine tune their fishing skills before migrating south.
Osprey - Keith Boyer
Main Bay / Village bay
A single ringed plover has been noted, and a single little ringed plover with 2 juveniles on main bay islands. A single snipe appeared on the far bank on the 8th July, as well as sightings of kingfisher, 2 egyptian geese and a grey wagtail. A yellowhammer can be heard singing on the hillside, sometimes it can be found by using a scope if you are feeling lucky.
Sightings at the village bay end of the reserve have been off the year’s first garganey, a female was seen in the cut area on the 13th July. A cetti’s warbler was heard from charlies hide and a juvenile mediterranean gull was seen flying west on the 13th July.
Flashes / Lin Dike
The juvenile spoonbills edge nearer to fledging, wing flapping has been noted which is no mean feat in that overcrowded nest! The viewpoint is still proving very popular giving excellent views of the teaspoons in the nest. The adults are feeding around the reserve and good close views can be had if you’re lucky, particularly at pick up hide which seems to be a favourite.
Spoonbill - Pete M
A nice influx of black-tailed godwits occurred on the 13th July with 30 birds seen on hicksons flash. The variety of waders continues to increase with sightings of common sandpiper, 2 ruff, dunlin, snipe, 3 redshank, green sandpiper and a wood sandpiper. 3 yellow wagtails were in front of lin dike hide on 10th July and a great white egret was on the moat on the 9th July. Other sightings have been of teal, whooper swan, juvenile water rail and a peregrine hunting over hicksons flash. A redstart was seen on the 13th July, on the fence line to the north-west of the phalarope pool.
Ruff - Keith Boyer
Other
A notable butterfly discovered on the reserve was an essex skipper, the first ever recorded on the reserve. The essex skipper is very similar to the small skipper, the best means of separating the species are the black tips to the underside of the antennae on the essex.
Essex Skipper - Darren Starkey
Other butterflies noted were small white, green-veined white, speckled wood, large white, meadow brown, gatekeeper, small skipper, comma, small tortoiseshell, brimstone, purple hairstreak, red admiral, ringlet, brown argus, small copper and peacock.
Meadow Brown - Pete M
Dragonflies noted have been brown hawker, black-tailed skimmer, ruddy darter, common darter and emperor.
Damselflies reported have been blue-tailed damselfly , azure damselfly, common blue and banded demoiselle.
An interesting sighting on the 6th July was of a grass snake, it was seen in a puddle near the duck feeding platform. It pays to keep your eyes open.