Hi All
Despite the recent deluges we have still been getting some great sightings. The HMWT meadow is well and truly flooded but the rest of the reserve is clear if a bit muddy.
A pair of goldeney visited wednesday last week, unfortunatly they were a one day wonder, may be they will pop by again soon. Lapwing numbers have been high for a few weeks now with six to seven hundred recorded on the laggon. These have drawn in a peregrine which has given us some spectaclular aerial dislplays as he hunts. Other birds of prey sightings include a red kite over at the end of january, 6 buzzards on sunday and regular kestrels. A grey wagtail has been visiting the pool created in the picnic area by all the recent rain and we had fun watching 4 redwing, 2 songthrush and 2 black birds pulling some huge worms from the ground on friday in all the rain. A solitary green sandpiper has been putting in a regualr appearance on draper in the last couple of weeks and Snipe continue to show well from gadwall and draper hides. Chiff chaff have been present along with bullfinch outside the visitor centre and along trails. Most of the shoveler, teal and gadwall have moved on to the flooded meadow and were today joined by 3 wigeon. A nice count of 13 pochard today were also heard calling on lagoon 3.
Other wildlife include a fox last monday which was very visible visiting the visitor centre groounds, draper scrape and trotting along the trails. There is also some good water vole sign ath the ashby bridge with 2 water vole feeding stations visible along with some nawed branches.
On the reserve management front we have started construction of a new kingfisher bank visible to the left of the draper hide in the hopes of completing it before the end of march.
Thanks very much
Vicky