Recent sightings 21st - 27th June 2021
As the summer solstice was celebrated at the start of the week, it seems here at Newport Wetlands summer is still on furlough. However, regardless of if it will be a scorcher or a wash out, we’re gearing up on the reserve for the Big Wild Summer which is happening across RSPB reserves throughout the UK. Our visitor experience team are busy behind the scenes planning lots of fun activities and events that will run throughout the summer, so stay tuned for updates on when they’ll be released!
Nature on the other hand hasn’t seemed phased by the cooler conditions, with plenty having been seen this week. Trevor our resident blackbird has been seen daily, often gathering food and nest supplies, and Perry Lane has been a hive of activity with small birds, especially the great tit family often spotted in the tree behind the kiosk. On Friday staff were treated to a spectacular site of a large group of long tailed tits flying between the trees in the late afternoon and Lesser whitethroats and chiffchaffs have also been putting on a good vocal display. The Bittern has been quieter this week with reported sightings down on previous weeks but occasionally it has been seen in flight over the reedbeds.
One of our star species on the reserve, the bearded tit, known for being extremely illusive have been seen in the past week, with a number of people having sighted them on the reeds up by the lighthouse. Their call is a distinctive pinging sound that can be heard quite clearly and if you’re lucky you might be able to catch a quick glimpse of them.
Image credit: Trevor the Blackbird, Jess Price
Insect wise the reserve is absolutely buzzing! The thick-legged flower beetle is a sight to behold as the oily green contrasts with bright yellow of the buttercup, the males can be identified due to their thick leg muscles, whereas the females don’t have the substantial leg muscles. Butterflies are dancing around the reserve too with red admirals and speckled woods being the most common spotted this week. This week’s moth trap was successful with 128 moths of 35 species being recorded such as Brimstone, Peach Blossom and Elephant Hawk Moths.
Image credit: Thick-legged flower beetle (male), Beth Lewis
Image credit: Elephant hawk-moth, Beth Lewis
Orchids are springing up all over the reserve with all five of our reserve orchids in bloom. The wild meadows on the perimeter path of the reserve are bursting with southern marsh and bee orchids, every so often you can catch a glimpse of the Marsh helleborine, Pyramidal as well as the common spotted.
Recent sightings list:
Birds
Bearded reedling, Bittern, Blackbird, Blackcap, Black-headed gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Cetti's Warbler, Chiffchaff, Collared Dove, Common whitethroat, Coot, Cormorant, Cuckoo, Curlew, Dunnock, Gadwall, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great spotted woodpecker, Great tit, Green Woodpecker, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring gull, Hobby, House martin, Kestrel, Lesser black-backed gull, Lesser whitethroat, Little egret, Little Grebe, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Marsh harrier, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied wagtail, Raven, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Reed warbler, Robin, Sedge Warbler, Shelduck, Song thrush, Starling, Swallow, Swift, Tufted Duck, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Insects and Mammals
Ladybird, Thick-legged flower beetle, Red headed cardinal beetle, Buff/white-tailed bumblebee, Common Blue Butterfly, Large skipper butterfly, Large white butterfly, Meadow brown butterfly, Painted lady butterfly, Peacock butterfly, Red admiral butterfly, Ringlet butterfly, Small tortoiseshell butterfly, Speckled wood butterfly, Azure damselfly, Blue tailed damselfly, Common blue damselfly, emperor dragonfly, Four Spot Chaser, Bright-line brown-eye moth, Brimstone moth, Buff arches moth, Buff-tip moth, Elephant hawk moth, Flame moth, Narrow bordered five spot burnet moth, Peach blossom moth, Scarlet tiger moth, Small magpie moth, Straw Dot moth, Ringed China-Mark moth, Bank vole, Rabbit, Red fox, Stoat, Weasel, Grass snake.
Plants
Grass Vetchling, Selfheal, Tufted vetch, Bee orchid, Common Spotted Orchid, Pyramidal orchid, Southern marsh orchid, Marsh helleborine orchid.
Author: Bethan Lewis