Please post your notable sightings on this thread. Notable means notable to you - no matter how common! Not only is it nice to share, but we can use the information in our casual sightings records to help maintain a picture of species and numbers on the reserve.
I'll set the ball rolling:-
Thursday 3rd Jan
Black tailed godwit x c200 in flight over Drayton Lagoon/Elney Lake
Goldeneye x 4 Drayton Lagoon South
1 Weasel
Tim Fisher
Additional sightings from the reserve this week:
1 drake gargeny on Ferry Lagoon (23/4/13)
7 black terns at Moore Lake (25/4/13)
Today (26/04/13) on Moore Lake
2 Common Sandpipers
2 Dunlin
6 Avocets
8 Common Terns
2 Oystercatchers
4 Redshank
lapwings and greylags (with goslings)
From Ferry
1 greenshank
A variety of hirundines high in the sky
Moore Lake (Coucher Hide):
Greylag Goose (many)
Yellow Wagtail x1
Avocet x4
Lapwing x3
Redshank x2
Ringed Plover x1
Swallows (many)
Ferry Lagoon
Little Egret x1
By the Ouse:
Hobby x1
Uitlander
Ferry Lagoon (7/5):
1 wood sandpiper
1 black tern
1 drake garganey
Drayton Lagoon
3 hobbies (8/5)
Whole reserve (7/5)
41 Common terns
9 Avocets
2 cuckoos
100+ swifts
Moore Lake (8/5)
2 foxes
1 common sandpiper
1 whimbrel (7/5)
Butterflies: small whites, orange tips, brimstones, small tortoishells, peacocks
Ooo it's not often I can add to a list of the daily sightings, but I saw a marsh harrier here today - first I've seen for certain. Rubbish photos, but good enough to confirm the ID :-)
8 May 1913 pm - 3 Avocets feeding between Ferry Mere and Ferry Pond.
11/05/2013
Bittern flying over Oxholme at 11.30
Hobby x 5 feeding over Elney Lake today
Otter
20/05/2013
Adult Common Lizards - lots, no juveniles showing yet.
Grass Snake - reserve bus stop.
Hobbies.
30/05/2013
Grass Snake
Common Lizard
Smooth Newt
Common Toad
Mink
This thread seems to have died so I shall attempt to revive it.
BETWEEN APRIL 14th and 21st, 2014, I WALKED THE SWAVESEY LAKE AND FERRY LAGOON AREAS (WITH AND WITHOUT BINS) - AN AREA MUCH LESS TRAVELLED THAN THE RESERVE PROPER.
During the week, about 70 species (give or take) were seen or heard, a little below par for the season and location. That said I missed a few things (e.g. kestrels, GS woodpeckers and Jays!).
GENERAL SYNOPSIS
Generally warm, fine and breezy. Rain showers on the 21st.
Over the 8 days, singing lesser whitethroats and sedge warblers joined the much earlier arriving chiffchaffs, willow warblers, reed warblers, whitethroats and blackcaps (and quite possibly garden warblers too).
On the 20th (in rain) there was a significant influx of swallows, house martins and sand martins. They stayed for about 24 hours only, save the odd swallow. BTW, my earliest sand martin this year was seen about 10 days ago (though that one was over Swavesey Rec.)
Reed buntings, not seen or heard at all at the start of the week, are now establishing and the odd male is singing (since the 20th).
On the 21st a sparrow hawk (F) flew over Swavesey Lake.
Whilst not seen on my walks (wrong time of day), one of the local Barn Owls has at times been screeching near the windmill at night (it is frequently heard from Swavesey village).
And no hobbies yet, though it is perhaps a little early.
On the water, between 6 and 10 Egyptian geese (in sum) were seen on or near both of the lakes (and also in fields immediately west of the river). A few pochard and "good" numbers of gadwell were ever-present throughout on Ferry Lagoon as well as a lone wigeon (a straggler).
A couple of little egrets and increasing numbers of "comics" were also spotted during the week.
PERSONAL HIGHLIGHTS
21st April
Hen harrier (2, together), 1 a ring-tail the other only glimpsed. Seen from a track-side metal gate (looking south), west of the main CP and east of the river.
Black tern (4) on Ferry Lagoon.
Buzzard soaring near the river between Ferry Lagoon and Swavesey Lake.
20th April
Egyptian goose (2 +2 well grown goslings) on the west shore of Ferry Lagoon near the main sluice.
19th April
Grasshopper warbler reeling between Swavesey Lake and the river (100m north of the main sluice). In a bramble briar and showing well.
Near the northern end of the above path, a kingfisher flew north across a cow pasture and into cover.
AND FINALLY...
Cetti's warbler.
Lots are about but this one is perhaps noteworthy (?) as it was heard on the outskirts of Over village (on the 14th) - so a little bit off it's patch I think. I discovered it in a thicket along the path between the entrance to Mare Fen and the Overcote footpath sign (the one planted by the road opposite the little cemetery at the top of the hill).
Oh, and a muntjac.
He/she put in an appearance in the old meadows on the north side of the track running between the busway crossing (the one leading to the Fisherman's CP) and Swavesey village.
Because I didn't write anything down I have doubtless forgotten something!
Dr8ton
Monday May 5th.
A wonderful visit with lots about, warblers singing everywhere. Lovely views of Whitethroat and I heard a Cetti's warbler close to the picnic table area near the car park. Saw my first Swift this year and Common Terns. Not sure of the layout of the reserve but the most exciting birds were on the flooded field near the guided busway - a pair of Little Egrets and the star of the show - a Black-winged Stilt, a real red letter day for me! Couldn't believe my eyes at first but I had fabulous and very close views as the bird was wading in the flooded margin right by the fence, only a couple of feet from the roadway.
Also, an amazing variety of flowers in bloom and a very brief view of damselfly, along with Brimstone butterflies by the path to the river.