Recent sightings, weekend weather and next week’s tides: 27.07.12

This week we have been lucky enough to have some gorgeous summer weather so it’s been an ideal week for some wildlife spotting on the reserve.

Here’s a quick rundown of the weekly highlights:

White rumped sandpiper – showing until yesterday on the wet grassland beyond East Hide. No sign today though I’m afraid.

2000+ black-tailed godwits – some still in breeding plumage but probably more failed breeders for their northern breeding grounds

Yellow wagtails – a pair spotted yesterday on the reedbed trail

Turtle dove – once again seen and heard in the hedgerow

Grass snake – a big female and small male down by the pond dipping platform earlier in the week, as well as a large female up by the sea wall.

Tree sparrows – youngsters can still be spotted on the feeders by the VC

White-winged black tern – a first for the reserve, this individual dropped in early on Wednesday morning but wasn’t around for long.

All the sandpipers – curlew sandpiper, common sandpiper, green sandpiper...they’re all around at the moment.

???Red necked phalarope??? -  We had a couple of reports of this rarity on the reserve but because non of the staff saw it or spoke to people who had seen it we’re not able to confirm this sighting.

Weekend weather:

Saturday: Sunny in the morning with cloud gathering in the afternoon. Fresher than earlier in the week but still warm, with a high of 20 degrees.

Sunday: A little cooler with a high of 18 degrees and the chance of thundery showers in the afternoon.

Clothing recommendation: shorts and a cap but a waterproof jacket in your bag.

The Tides