Hi,
The first Cuckoo of the year was heard singing from the Yellow Trail (21st) with singing males also heard from the Purple and Red Trails during the week. The first and only Common Whitethroat was sighted on the Red Trail (25th) whilst Wood Warbler (first returning bird 22nd) tallied 3 males on the Red Trail and 1 on the Yellow Trail by the weeks end. Meanwhile resident birds were well underway with nesting as anyone watching the Siskin on the reserve bird feeders may have noticed. Currently the majority of Siskin on the feeders are male birds with the females spending most of their time brooding eggs from which the chicks should hatch within the next two weeks. Other early breeding birds including Dipper, Mistle Thrush and Song Thrush were observed carrying food to feed their hungry offspring.
Male Siskin were busy feeding before their chicks hatch in around two weeks time (Many Thanks to Gavin Chambers for the image).
There was a flurry of mammal activity on the reserve this week with an Otter heard calling below the dam at dusk (19th), Lesser Horseshoe, Daubenton’s, Common and Soprano Pipistrelle bats feeding downstream of the dam and a single Hare sighted along the road on the northern side of the lake.
The Red Trail was a birding hot spot during the week with a late Redwing (25th) the best bird. One particular section which I’ve named the triangle (SJ006196) has a well placed bench overlooking the lake. From here 10x Common Buzzard (24th), 1x Goshawk (24th), 6+ Swallow, and 1x House Martin (24th) could be seen in flight whilst the surrounding trees and shrubs held Great Spotted Woodpecker, Tree Pipit, Common Redstart, Blackcap, 3x Willow Tit (24th), 2x Jay and 2x Bullfinch.
Now widespread across the reserve Common Redstart can be heard singing on many of our trails (Thanks to Gavin Chambers for this photograph taken on the reserve last year).
The lake played host to a single Black-headed Gull (24th), 2x Lesser Black-Backed Gull (24th), 6+ Canada Geese, 5+ Mallard Duck, 4x Goosander (2ml,2fm), 3x Great Crested Grebe (2x Lakeside Hide, 1x Pumping Tower), 1x Oystercatcher (24th) and 2x Common Sandpiper (24th, Lakeside Hide).
Other highlights this week included, 1x Tawny Owl which flew over the Yellow Trail after being mobbed by small passerines (21st), Green Woodpecker (daily, Blue trail), a notable influx of Willow Warbler (21st) and small numbers of Curlew which can be seen flying over the lake as they move between feeding areas.
Macrolepidoptera Of The Week
The Streamer Anticlea derivata, whose English name derives from the black lines, which flow from the leading edge of the forewing, is a distinctive and well-patterned moth. Streamer receives this week’s top accolade as it was a nice surprise in amongst all the Hebrew Characters captured during the week!
Thanks to Gavin Chambers for the photograph of this weeks top moth, the Streamer.
Cheers,
Adam