Summer is finally upon us, albeit a rather changeable and unpredictable one - and it’s a really busy time for wildlife on the reserve. Most will have offspring to nurture, feed and protect. The adults will be working overtime to keep up with the endless round of feeding and fending off predators.
Flowering plants are at their best at this time of the year, which is just as well as they are so important for the emergence of the vast array of insect life. As you stroll around the reserve you will see good displays of comfrey, common vetch, birds-foot trefoil and St John’s wort snatching what sunshine they can between bouts of rain! These blooms attract pollinators which are a vital source of food for birds to feed their young. One out of every three mouthfuls of our food also depends on pollination taking place, so without insects we would soon have problems feeding ourselves. The RSPB is encouraging everyone through their ‘Giving Nature a Home’ campaign to provide the right conditions for insects close to home.
Speaking of insects – one of the staff saw something strange lurking in the reserve this week. After research it appears we are home to a Platyrhinus resinosus – which translates from the latin for 'flat nose' – not a very flattering title! 'Flat nose' is a fungus weevil (aka the Cramp-ball fungus weevil or Oak fungus beetle ) from the family Anthribidae. The larvae develop inside the black fungus known as King Alfred's Cakes or Cramp Balls (Daldinia concentrica). When it’s running around oak trees it moves quickly and is hardly visible. When spotted though it’s such an odd-looking creature that it can’t be mistaken for anything else. It is a scarce invertebrate with June and July being peak times to see the adult.
Platyrhinus resinosus by Tara Okon
It’s also a great time to spot butterflies and moths, and we have seen a flurry of scarlet tiger moths over the past couple of weeks. If you’d like to come along and spot some butterflies and day flying moths we will be running family events next weekend as part of the Big Butterfly Count 2016.
Flutter by for a fabulous weekend of butterfly-filled fun
A family event at RSPB Newport Wetlands on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 July
10.30am to 12.00pm and 2.00pm to 3.30pm
RSPB members: £3.00 per child
Non members: £5.00 per child
Drop-in event so no need to book
For more information call: 01633 636363 or email: newport-wetlands@rspb.org.uk
Thanks to Linda Joseph, our guest writer for the blog this week.
Recent sightings 17/06 to 23/06
Bearded Reedling, Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue tit, Broad-billed sandpiper, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion crow, Cetti's warbler, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coot, Cormorant, Cuckoo, Curlew, Dunnock, Gadwall, Goldfinch, Great crested grebe, Great spotted woodpecker, Great tit, Greenfinch, Grey heron, Herring gull, Hobby, House sparrow, Kestrel, Lesser black-backed gull, Lesser Whitethroat, Linnet, Little egret, Little grebe, Long-tailed tit, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied wagtail, Redshank, Reed bunting, Reed warbler, Robin, Ruff, Sedge warbler, Shelduck, Skylark, SongThrush, Sparrowhawk, Swallow, Tufted duck, Turnstone, Water rail, Willow warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Other species spotted around the Wetlands include:
Moth caterpillar, Skipper, Scarlet Tiger Moth, Bee Orchid, Comma, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Large Skipper, Latticed Heath Moth, Painted Lady, Speckled Wood, 5 spot Burnet Moth, 6 spot Burnet Moth.
Recent sightings 24/06 to 30/06
Avocet, Bearded Reedling, Blackbird, Blackcap, Black-headed gull, Blue tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion crow, Cetti's warbler, Chiffchaff, Coot, Cormorant, Cuckoo, Curlew, Gadwall, Goldfinch, Grasshopper Warbler, Great crested grebe, Great spotted woodpecker, Great tit, Green woodpecker, Greenfinch, Greenshank, Grey heron, Herring gull, Hobby, House martin, House sparrow, Kestrel, Kingfisher, Lesser whitethroat, Linnet, Little egret, Little grebe, Long-tailed tit, Magpie, Mallard, Marsh harrier, Moorhen, Mute swan, Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Pheasant, Pochard, Redshank, Reed bunting, Reed warbler, Ruff, Sand martin, Sedge warbler, Shelduck, Shoveler, Skylark, Song thrush, Sparrowhawk, Swallow, Tufted duck, Turnstone, Whinchat, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Moth caterpillar, Skipper, Scarlet Tiger Moth, Bee Orchid, Comma, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Large Skipper, Southern Marsh Bee, Latticed Heath Moth, Painted Lady, Speckled Wood, 5-spot Burnet Moth, 6-spot Burnet Moth.
Recent sightings 01/07 to 07/07
Avocet, Blackbird, Blackcap, Black-headed gull, Blue tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion crow, Cetti's Warbler, Chiffchaff, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew, Gadwall, Goldfinch, Great crested grebe, Great tit, Green woodpecker, Greenfinch, Greenshank, Grey heron, Herring gull, Hobby, House martin, House sparrow, Kestrel, Lapwing, Lesser whitethroat, Linnet, Little egret, Little grebe, Long-tailed tit, Magpie, Marsh harrier, Moorhen, Mute swan, Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Pheasant, Reed bunting, Reed warbler, Sand martin, Sedge warbler, Shelduck, Shoveler, Starling, Swallow, Tufted duck, Whinchat, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Marsh Helleborine Orchid, Southern Marsh Orchid, Bee Orchid, Red Admiral butterfly, Black tailed Skimmer, Slug, Snail, Meadow Brown butterfly.