Bird Sightings May 2011

Successful hatchings so far this year have been mute swan with 5 cygnets, canada geese, with several successful pairs, moorhen, mallard, chaffinch, and song thrush. One of the coot pairs produced 4 chicks, but these were unfortunately predated in the following days by lesser black-backed gulls, more coot chicks have since been produced by other birds. The first lapwing chick was noted (31^st) on the floating raft, although there are many other pairs on the island, and a juvenile pied wagtail has also been seen.

 A second pair of common tern is nesting on the island, with the male bringing in fish for the female, it then goes and ritually washes its bill in the shallows. The original pair was sitting on eggs but these were somehow lost, they are now making a second attempt in a different location.

 A pair of great crested grebe has built a nest in exactly the same place as last year on top of an old fencing stump in the lake, they have been observed performing their courtship rituals. The oystercatcher pair has a nest well hidden in the undergrowth on the island and the birds have been observed sharing sitting duties, a third bird did try to butt in but was chased off after a combined display by the breeding pair.

 Among other hopeful breeders that have shown breeding intentions by carrying nest material, carrying food, being aggressive or mating have been whitethroat, sedge warbler, reed warbler,blackcap,chiffchaff, reed bunting, robin, wren, goldfinch bullfinch, little grebe, and little ringed plover,

 Some other warblers seen or heard on the reserve have been garden warbler, willow warbler, and lesser whitethroat. Occasional visitors have been curlew (11^th.), dunlin (12^th.), 6 black-tailed godwit (27^th.) and more regularly a common sandpiper.

 An interesting sight has been watching swallows regularly collecting mud from edges of the island and large groups of swift flying low over the water in front of the hide usually joined by house and sand martins.

 3 goosander were still to be seen on the lake at the beginning of the month and about 60 tufted duck have gathered around the island prior to breeding.