Late July and August are often slightly quieter times at Langford from a bird perspective, however we do lure in a good range of waders as they start moving around after the breeding season. This waderisation of the reserve was reflected in the recent WeBS count, with various species picked up. These wading birds, along with records of Garganey and Bittern made for an enjoyable morning's birding for the WeBS team. For orientation a map of the reserve can be downloaded from the Nature Trails info box here https://www.rspb.org.uk/days-out/reserves/langford-lowfields/facilities
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Total
Bittern
1
Black headed Gull
5
16
22
Canada Goose
93
6
23
122
Coot
4
154
158
Cormorant
2
3
Gadwall
20
25
Great crested Grebe
7
9
18
Great white Egret
Grey Heron
Mallard
21
53
106
180
Moorhen
Mute Swan
17
56
76
Tufted Duck
75
161
236
Water Rail
Lapwing
12
Snipe
Teal
Kingfisher
Green Sandpiper
Little egret
Oystercatcher
Greenshank
Shoveler
51
Curlew
Pochard
Common Tern
Ringed Plover
Great Black backed Gull
Lesser Black backed Gull
Garganey
Egyptian Goose
Dunlin
Common Sandpiper
In addition to the suite of passage waders, we also recently set a new site record for the highest number of Great White Egrets ever recorded at Langford, with 15 being seen. This segues nicely into an exciting bird news story coming out of the Notts Wildlife Trust reserve - Besthorpe - sited just downstream of Langford www.birdguides.com/news/first-breeding-of-great-and-western-cattle-egrets-in-nottinghamshire/
Other species of note seen recently include Painted Lady (photo below by Stuart Carlton), Marsh Harrier, Hobby, Whinchat, Red Kite and Osprey. Langford also recently and momentarily took on the ambiance of Slimbridge, with a Black-necked Swan and Fulvous Whistling Duck on site.
The Seasonal Trail opened back up a couple of weeks ago and this year it's longer than ever before! Looping around the whole of the Silt Lagoon 7 area. As we move into the Autumn it's worth keeping you eyes and ears open as you go past the scrubby areas on the eastern edge for interesting passerines flitting about. The trail will remain open into the winter period until it starts getting too wet and/or disappears under the rising flood waters once again!? If walking the Seasonal Trail, do note that we've got 3 hawk-kites flying over the eastern portion of Phase 2 at the moment. This section of the reedbed was hammered by the winter flooding and then by subsequent goose grazing, and the kites are there to dissuade the geese and they do seem to be working, with the reed bouncing back. We'll keep the kites up until goose numbers on the reserve start dropping, this is normally in October. Other species including Great-crested Grebe, Bittern and Common Terns appear unfazed by the kites.