News

Wednesday 10th May 2026

A Common crane circled to the west of the reserve for several minutes, before heading off west,
2 Ringed plovers were on East Holm,
The juvenile Cuckoo was again near the Silt pond,
3 Avocet chicks (New workings & Silt pond), 2 Juvenile Oystercatchers (East Holm), 2 more Gadwall families (Crossland's lake & East Holm) & 23 Shelduck ducklings counted, 
Also, Singing Corn bunting (New workings), Calling Cuckoo (Far lake), 3 Eygptian geese (Village lake), Great white egret (Reed-bed & Far lake), Marsh harrier & Red kite
Butterflies - Painted lady,
Bumblebees - Common carder, Early & Garden bumblebees
Dragonflies - Blue-tailed & Common blue damselflies


Stock dove by the Silt pond
Posted By: BJNcw on 6/10/2026 4:56:55 PM

Tuesday 9th June 2026

4 Ringed plovers were on East Holm in the morning,
A Whitethroat was feeding a juvenile Cuckoo by the Silt pond,
Still on the Reed-bed, was the Great white egret, with 8 Little egrets counted,
Also seen was Barn owl (morning in New workings), Marsh harrier & another brood of 10 Gadwall ducklings on the Reed-bed,
Butterflies - Painted lady
Bumblebees - Common carder, Early & Garden bumblebees
Dragonflies - Common blue damselfly


Grey heron on the Reed-bed
Posted By: BJNcw on 6/9/2026 5:25:12 PM

Monday 8th June 2026

A Hobby flew south over East Holm,
Yesterday's Great white egret was on the Reed-bed, with the Cuckoo nearby in the Far lake trees,
Also seen Red kite (over the Island lake), 4 Barn owls (evening, 3 Maize field & 1 by Crosslands), Eygptian goose (Village lake), 10 Shelduck ducklings (East Holm) & 2 Avocet chicks on the Silt pond,
Butterflies - Red admiral, Brimstone, Painted lady
Dragonflies - Emperor & Hairy dragonflies, 4 Spot chasers, Common & Blue-tailed damselflies


Common tern after washing on East Holm
Posted By: BJNcw on 6/8/2026 5:19:08 PM

Sunday 7th June 2026

In the morning, an Arctic tern was on West Holm, with a Great white egret being seen on the Reed-bed & then going to roost on the Far lake,
The 8 Pochard ducklings were seen on the Reed-bed, with 10 Gadwall ducklings on West Holm,
Also seen was Red kite,
Butterflies - 8 Painted lady, 2 Red admiral, single Peacock, Large skipper, Speckled wood, Common & Holly blue, Brimstone, Large white,
Bumblebees - Common carder, Garden & Tree bumblebees,
Dragonflies - Emperor & Hairy dragonflies, 4 Spot chaser, Black-tailed skimmer, Red-veined darter, Azure, Blue-tailed & Common blue damselflies


Great white egret on the Far lake
Posted By: BJNcw on 6/7/2026 5:47:23 PM

Saturday 6th June 2026

A Peregrine was over East Holm, with the Bittern seen on the Reed-bed,
5 Shelduck ducklings were on East Holm, with 2 Avocet chicks still on the Silt pond, 8 Pochard & 10 Gadwall ducklings  all on the Reed-bed,
A total of 11 Mute swan cygnets are on the reserve (6 on the Silt pond, 3 on the Island lake & 2 on the Main lake)
Bumblebees - Tree bumblebee
Butterflies - Common blue


Great crested grebe flying over East Holm
Posted By: BJNcw on 6/6/2026 5:07:01 PM

Friday 5th June 2026

Hobbies were seen over Crossland's lake, 2 Red kites over the Maize field & Barn owl in the 'Oak' avenue,
13 Canada geese flew west from the Silt pond,
Only 6 Mute swan cygnets on the Silt pond, with 2 Avocet chicks there, 2 Mediterranean gull chicks on East Holm & 8 Pochard ducklings on the Reed-bed, with another 8 on the Far lake,
Also seen Tawny owl, 2 barn owls (evenig)2 Red kites (over Maize field) & Bittern (Crossland's lake)
Butterflies - 18 Painted lady, 4 Large skipper, 2 Red admirals, single Small tortoiseshell, Large white, Common & Holly blues,
Bumblebees - Common carder, Early, Garden, Red & White-tailed bumblebees,
Dragonflies - Emperor dragonfly, 4 Spot chaser, Black-tailed skimmer, Hairy dragonfly, Azure, Blue-tailed & Common blue damselflies


Mediterranean gulls, adult & chicks
Posted By: BJNcw on 6/5/2026 3:51:39 PM

Thursday 4th June 2026

On East Holm, there were 2 Shelduck families (3 & 5 ducklings), the Oystercatcher chick on West Holm, Lapwing chick in Cell 'A' & 8 Pochard ducklings on the Reed-bed,
Also seen, 50+ Swifts over the reserve, Cuckoo (Far lake), Marsh harrier & Red kite,
Bumblebees - Buff-tailed, Common carder, Early, Garden, Red-tailed & Tree bumblebees,
Butterflies - Painted lady
Dragonflies - Azure, Blue-tailed & Common blue damselflies


Female Pochard & 8 ducklings on the Reed-bed
Posted By: BJNcw on 6/4/2026 4:36:20 PM

Wednesday 3rd June 2026

A Corn bunting was singing in the New workings,
A new Shelduck family of 8 ducklings was on West Holm, with an older group of 6 on East Holm,
The 2 Lapwing chicks were still in Cell 'A', 2 Avocet chicks on the Silt pond, with the 8 Pochard ducklings seen on the Reed-bed,
Also seen was Bittern (Silt pond)
Butterflies - Speckled wood, Painted lady & Large skipper,
Dragonflies - Azure, Blue-tailed & Common blue damselflies


Courting Common terns on East Holm
Posted By: BJNcw on 6/3/2026 4:45:08 PM

Tuesday 2nd June 2026

There was a female Pochard with 8 ducklings on the Reed-bed, with the Eygptian goose family on Crossland's lake,
2 Lapwing chicks were in Cell 'A',
A Cuckoo was calling by the Far lake,
Butterflies - Painted lady,
Dragonflies - Common blue damselfly


Juvenile Great tit by West Holm
Posted By: BJNcw on 6/2/2026 5:55:59 PM

Monday 1st June 2026

Today, Peregrine west over East Holm, Hobby, singing Corn bunting (New workings) & Bittern (Reed-bed),
Oystercatcher & chick on West Holm, Broods of 7 & 6 Shelducks on East Holm, 3 Avocet chicks in New workings & Silt pond
Bumblebees - Common carder, Early, Garden & Tree bumblebees,
Butterflies - Painted lady,
Dragonflies - Azure, Blue-tailed & Common blue damselflies


Oystercatcher & chick on West Holm
Posted By: BJNcw on 6/1/2026 4:36:31 PM

Sunday 31st May 2026

The Little stint was still on East Holm,
7 Mute swan cygnets on the Silt pond, 2 on the Main lake, an Oystercatcher chick on West Holm, 2 Mediterranean gull chicks & 3 Avocet chicks (Silt pond & New workings),
Also seen, 2 Marsh harriers, Barn owl (morning over New workings), Tawny owl, 5 Eygptian geese adults (plus 3 goslings) & Bittern,
Bumblebees - Early, Garden & Tree bumblebees
Butterflies - 8 Painted lady, 5 Speckled wood, 2 Red admiral & Large skipper, Common blue,
Dragonflies - Emperor dragonfly, Black-winged skimmer, Broad-bodied & 4 Spot chaser, Azure, Blue-tailed & Common blue damselflies


Mute swan with 7 cygnets on the Silt pond
Posted By: BJNcw on 5/31/2026 5:49:48 PM

Saturday 30th May 2026

Yesterday's Little stint was still on East Holm,
3 Avocet chicks seen, 3 Little grebe Chicks (Main lake), 12 Mute swan cygnets (Main, Village lakes & Silt pond) & the 3 Eygptian goose goslings,
Also seen, Cuckoo, Bittern (Reed-bed & Main lake), Barn owl (morning, New workings & Cell 'A'), 4 juvenile Bearded tits (Village lake), 4 Eygptian geese (Village lake) & Hobby (Village lake in the morning),
Bumblebees - Early, Garden & Tree bumblebees,
Dragonflies - Emperor & Lesser emperor (Reed-bed), Hairy dragonfly, 4 Spot-chaser, Red-veined darter, Azure, Blue-tailed, Common blue, Large red & Red-eyed damselflies, Banded demoiselle,
Butterflies - 19 Painted lady, 7 Speckled wood, 6 Common blue, 2 each of Large skipper, Red admiral & Orange tip, plus single Large white


Little stint on the East Holm
Posted By: BJNcw on 5/30/2026 5:09:48 PM

Friday 29th May 2026

A Little stint was on East Holm today, with also 4 Barnacle geese & a Ringed plover,
There were 2 Mediterranean gull chicks, plus the 2 Avocet chicks on the Silt pond,
Also seen was 2 Canada geese, 8 adult & 3 juvenile Eygptian geese, Barn owl (morning), 1 or 2 Bitterns, 6 juvenile Bearded tits, 2 Marsh harriers, 5 Little egrets & the drake Red-crested pochard on the Village lake,
Butterflies - Speckled wood
Posted By: BJNcw2 on 5/29/2026 9:19:21 PM

Thursday 28th May 2026

The 2 Avocet chicks on the Silt pond, the Eygptian geese family on East Holm (5 more adults on the Village lake), Shelduck families of 12, 8 & 4 on East Holm, plus 4 on the Silt pond, plus Mute swan broods of 7 on Silt pond & 2 on Main lake,
Also seen, Bittern (seen in flight several times), Cuckoos (West path & Cliffe Road hedge), Barn owl (evening), 140+ Herring gulls on East Holm, hunting Peregrine on Village lake, Drake Red-crested pochard, Raven north on Crossland's lake, & Black swan on West Holm,
Butterflies - Brown argus, Common blue, Painted lady, Brimstone, Red admiral, Peacock, Holly blue
Dragonflies - Emperor dragonfly, 4 Spot-chaser & Black-tailed skimmer
Posted By: BJNcw2 on 5/28/2026 8:36:47 PM

Wednesday 27th May 2026

The 1st Spotted flycatcher of the year was seen from the Viewing platform,
Common sandpiper on West Holm, Ringed plover on East Holm & 2 Avocet chicks on the Silt pond,
A Garden warbler was singing from the western end of the Silt pond, Cuckoo by the Far lake & Village lake,
6 adults & 3 Eygptian geese, plus 2 Bitterns seen (Reed-bed & Village lake)
Butterflies - Speckled wood, Large skipper,
Dragonflies - 4 Spot chaser, Hairy dragonfly & Large red damselfly
Posted By: BJNcw2 on 5/27/2026 6:12:29 PM

Tuesday 26th May 2026

The drake Red crested pochard was on the Village lake, with a pair of Eygptian geese also,
The Eygptian geese family were on Crossland's lake, Ringed plover on East Holm & Common sandpiper on West Holm,
Also seen, Avocet family of 2 chicks (Silt pond), 2 Bitterns (Reed-bed), Cuckoo (Far lake), Barn owl (West end in the early morning) & Green woodpecker,
Butterflies - several Painted ladies (including some fresh), Peacock & Small copper,
Dragonflies - Hairy dragonfly, 3 Red-veined darters (Crossland's lake)
Posted By: BJNcw2 on 5/26/2026 7:34:51 PM