There have been a few nice birds on site in the last week or so, evidence of the first autumn movements through the reserve and sign that the summer lull may be drawing to a close. My mid-summer ‘bird lull’ is usually filled with insects and other invertebrates, but this year, has been frustratingly reduced with numbers of butterflies only just building now – although still lower than they should be, poor numbers of dragonflies and the moth trap distinctly lacking in moths!
Bird sightings in the last week have included….
c.200 lapwing on Phase 1, with small groups of starlings feeding with them
3 green sandpipers and 1 common sandpiper
a red kite over Phase 1
a curlew over Phase 1
water rail on Phase 2 – the first sighting for months
10 snipe on Phase 2
a small flock of common crossbill over the reserve office late Wednesday afternoon – a nice site tick for me!