News

Tuesday 1st July 2025

There was a male Cuckoo by the Carp lake in the afternoon, with a Hobby hunting Dragonflies by the Turret hide at about the same time,
In the morning a Barn owl was hunting the New workings,
Also seen was 4 Eygptian goose (Village lake) & 3 adult Mediterranean gulls (West Holm), Bittern, Red kite, Little owl & Dunlin (East Holm)
Bumblebees - Garden bumblebee
Butterflies - Meadow brown, Ringlet, Small copper, Red admiral, Essex skipper, Small tortoiseshell, Speckled wood, Green-veined, Large & Marbled whites, Peacock, Purple hairstreak, Brown argus & Gatekeeper,
Dragonflies - Black-tailed skimmer, Common & Ruddy darter,s Blue-tailed, Common blue & Willow emerald damselflies


Oystercatcher on Wets Holm
Posted By: BJNcw on 7/1/2025 4:25:36 PM

Monday 30th June 2025

A Common sandpiper was on West Holm, along with 2 adult Mediterranean gulls & a well grown juvenile Pochard,
On East Holm there were 3 more adult Mediterranean gulls, plus 7 Avocet chicks & a juvenile Little ringed plover,
Other Avocet chicks were on Cell 'A' & the Silt pond,
Also seen was Peregrine (carrying prey over Cell 'A'), Hobby (over the West path), Little owl & Tawny owl (heard on the East path)
Bumblebees - Common carder, Garden & Red-tailed bumblebees,
Butterfly count - 46 Meadow brown, 38 Large white, 18 Gatekeeper, 10 Ringlet, 6 Green-veined whites, 5 Peacock, 4 Small white, 3 Small tortoiseshell, 2 each of Essex & Small skipper, Marbled white, single Comma, Red admiral, Painted lady, Speckled wood, Brimstone, Purple hairstreak & Small copper
Dragonflies - Emperor dragonfly, Brown & Southern hawker, 4 Spot chaser, Black-tailed skimmer, Common & Ruddy darter, Blue-tailed, Small red-eyed & Common damselflies


Hummingbird hawk moth in the New working
Posted By: BJNcw on 6/30/2025 2:30:30 PM

Sunday 29th June 2025

The Marsh tit was seen in the morning at the north end of the East path,
2 Eygptian geese were seen on the Reed-bed & West Holm,
9 Avocet chicks were seen (7 on East Holm, with singles on the Silt pond & Cell 'A'),
The 2 Pochard ducklings were on West Holm
Bumblebees - Garden bumblebee
Butterflies - Meadow brown, Ringlet, Green-veined, Large, Marbled & Small whites, Comma, Purple hairstreak, Painted lady, Holly blue, Brimstone & Small copper
Dragonflies - Emperor dragonfly, Black-tailed skimmer, Hairy dragonfly, Common & Ruddy darter, Blue-tailed, Common blue, Red-eyed damselflies


Female Pochard & 2 ducklings on West Holm
Posted By: BJNcw2 on 6/29/2025 8:22:14 PM

Saturday 28th June 2025

8 Black-tailed godwits visited West Holm in the morning,
On the Reed-bed, there was a Common sandpiper 8 Eygptian goose,
Also seen was Barn owl (Maize field, morning), Marsh harrier, 2 Garden warblers (along Dryham lane), 5 Grey herons, Bittern & Little owl
Bumblebees - Common carder & Garden bumblebees
Butterfly count - 14 Meadow brown, 12 Large white, 6 Purple hairstreak, 4 Peacock & Small white, 3 Green-veined white & Ringlet, single Small tortoiseshell, Comma, Marbled white, Gatekeeper, Red admiral, Small skipper & Small heath
Dragonflies - Brown hawker, Black-tailed skimmer, 4 Spot chaser, Common darter, Blue-tailed, Willow emerald & Common blue damselflies


Skylark in the New workings
Posted By: BJNcw on 6/28/2025 2:58:21 PM

Friday 27th June 2025

There was a Marsh tit along the East path,
A Green sandpiper was seen on Cell 'A' & the Silt pond, whilst there were 3 Common sandpipers on the Reed-bed,
3 Eygptian geese was on the Village lake & West Holm,
3 adult Mediterranean gulls were on East Holm, whilst adults with a single & 2 juveniles were on West Holm
Also seen was Little owl, Bittern, Red kite, just 2 Pochard ducklings left on Crossland's lake, 2 Cuckoos (Dragonfly ponds), Hobby (over reserve), female Shoveler & 5 ducklings (Island lake) & 2 Yellow wagtails (East Holm)
Bumblebees - Common carder & Garden bumblebees,
Butterflies - Meadow brown, Green-veined & Large whites, Small tortoiseshell, Ringlet, Comma, Painted lady & Gatekeeper,
Dragonflies - Hairy dragonfly, 4 Spot chaser, Black-tailed skimmer, Common darter, Blue-tailed, Common blue &Small red-eyed damselflies, Banded demoiselle


The first Gatekeeper of the year in the New workings
Posted By: BJNcw on 6/27/2025 3:14:09 PM

Thursday 26th June 2025

A Hobby was seen in the New workings,
There were 2 Common sandpipers on East Holm, along with 10 Avocet chicks (singles were on the Silt pond & Cell 'A'),
Also seen was an Eygptian goose (Village lake), Bittern, Marsh harrier & Red kite
Bumblebees - Common carder & Garden bumblebees,
Butterflies - Meadow brown, Ringlet, Large skipper, Marbled, Green-veined, Small & Large whites, Purple hairstreak
Dragonflies - Southern hawker, Common darter, Blue-tailed, Common blue & Willow emerald damselflies


Purple hairstreak in the New workings
Posted By: BJNcw on 6/26/2025 4:28:06 PM

Wednesday 25th June 2025

The Cuckoo was calling along the North hedge in the morning,
An Eygptian goose was on the Village lake in the early morning,
Also seen was Up to 10 Mediterranean gulls, Little owl & Bittern
Bumblebees - Common carder, Early & Garden bumblebee
Butterflies - 14 Meadow brown, 4 Green-veined white & Ringlet, 3 Large white, plus single Red admiral, Small tortoiseshell, Marbled white & Essex skipper
Dragonflies - Black-tailed skimmer, Blue-tailed & Common blue damselflies


Bittern over Dryham lane
Posted By: BJNcw on 6/25/2025 3:46:46 PM

Tuesday 24th June 2025

A Common sandpiper was on East Holm & then the Reed-bed,
Hobby & Peregrine were over Crossland's lake (where there was also a Pochard & 3 ducklings),
The Cuckoo was calling by the Carp lake
An adult & juvenile Mediterranean gull were on West Holm, with 2 more adults on East Holm
Butterflies - Marbled white
Dragonflies - 4 Spot chaser, Azure & Red-eyed damselfly


Sedge warbler off the North path
Posted By: BJNcw on 6/24/2025 4:50:54 PM

Monday 23rd June 2025

The adult & juvenile Mediterranean gulls were on West Holm, 
The first Common tern chicks were seen on East Holm, along with 10 Avocet chicks (a further 3 chicks were on Cell 'A'/Silt pond)
A Cuckoo was seen on the Reed-bed, with a pair of Eygptian geese there later,
Also seen was Barn owl (New workings in the morning), Jay (North hedge) & Common sandpiper (East Holm) & Red kite
The Otter was seen on the Reed-bed & Main lake,
Bumblebees - Garden bumblebee
Butterflies - Meadow brown, Large skipper, Ringlet, Green-veined, Large & Marbled whites
Dragonflies - Brown hawker, Common darter, Blue-tailed & Common blue damselflies


Great crested newt
Posted By: BJNcw on 6/23/2025 3:31:58 PM

Sunday 22nd June 2025

There were 8 Avocet chicks on East Holm, along with a Curlew,
4 more Avocet chicks were on the Silt pond & Cell 'A',
The Cuckoo was again calling from the Carp & Far lake areas
14 Black-tailed godwits were on the Reed-bed in the afternoon,
10 Mediterranean gulls were present (pair with juvenile on West Holm, 4 adults, 2 x 2nd summers & a single 1st summer on East Holm),
Also seen was 2 Marsh harriers, 3 Eygptian geese, Bittern, Red kite, Peregrine (over West Holm) & Red kite,
Bumblebees - Buff-tailed, Common carder & Garden bumblebees, Vestel cuckoo bee
Butterfly count - 14 Meadow brown, 6 Large white, 5 Ringlet, 3 Green-veined white & single Large skipper, Small tortoiseshell, Purple hairstreak, Comma & Marbled white
Dragonflies - Hairy dragonfly, 4 Spot chaser, Common & Ruddy darters, Azure, Blue-tailed & Common blue damselflies


4 Spot chaser by the Carp lake
Posted By: BJNcw on 6/22/2025 5:02:13 PM

Saturday 21st June 2025

The Cuckoo was calling by the Far lake, with Barn owl seen in the New workings in the early morning,
A Pochard family of 3 ducklings was on West Holm, plus the Eygptian geese pair on Crossland's lake,
11 Avocet chicks were seen (7 on East Holm, 2 each on the Silt pond & cell 'A'), with Green sandpiper on Reed-bed & a Curlew on East Holm in the afternoon,
The 2 Shelduck families of 3 & 6 ducklings were still on East Holm,
Butterfly count - 22 Meadow brown, 9 Marbled white, 5 Ringlet, 4 Large white, 3 Small tortoiseshell & single Common, Green-veined white, Essex, Large & Small skippers
Dragonflies - Brown hawker, Hairy dragonfly, 4 Spot chaser, Black-tailed skimmer, Blue-tailed & Common blue damselflies, Banded demoiselle,
Bumblebees - Garden bumblebee


Little ringed plover on East Holm
Posted By: BJNcw on 6/21/2025 3:43:44 PM

Friday 20th June 2025

A Little tern was over East Holm in the late morning,
There were 9 Avocet chicks (5 on East Holm, 2 on Silt pond & 2 on Cell 'A'), with 4 Little ringed plover chicks on East Holm,
Also seen was Cuckoo (Far lake), Kingfisher (Main lake), Bittern, 11 Mediterranean gull (8 East & 3 West Holm) & Marsh harrier
Butterfly count - 14 Meadow brown, 4 Ringlet, 3 Large white, 2 Green-veined white, single Small tortoiseshell, Marbled white, Comma & male Common blue,
Bumblebees - Common carder, Garden & Red-tailed bumblebees,
Dragonflies - Emperor & Hairy dragonflies, 4 Spot chaser, Black-tailed skimmer, Blue-tailed & Common blue damselflies


Bittern over the Reed-bed
Posted By: BJNcw on 6/20/2025 5:30:26 PM

Thursday 19th June 2025

The Cuckoo was calling by the Far lake in the early morning,
9 Avocet chicks (6 on East Holm, 2 on Cell 'A & single on Silt pond), 3 Little ringed plover chicks (East Holm), Shelduck ducklings on East & West Holm. 3 pairs of Little ringed plover have hatched this year
Also seen was Barn owl (early morning), Tawny owl (over the Carp lake), Little owl, 2 Eygptian geese (Village lake), Marsh harrier, 2 Great crested grebe chicks (Main lake), Kingfisher, 9 Mediterranean gulls (East Holm) & Green sandpiper (Village lake)
Bumblebees - Common carder, Garden, Red-tailed & Tree bumblebees,
Butterflies - Red admiral, Ringlet, Meadow brown, Small tortoiseshell, Marbled & Large whites
Dragonflies - 4 Spot chaser, Emperor & Hairy dragonflies, Azure, Blue-tailed, Common blue & Small red-eyed damselflies


Avocet over the Silt pond
Posted By: BJNcw2 on 6/19/2025 7:22:37 PM

Wednesday 18th June 2025

A Kingfisher was seen on the Main lake,
Also seen was 3 Eygptian geese (Reed-bed), Green sandpiper (Cell 'A'), Lesser whitethroat & Marsh harrier,
A Grasshopper warbler was 'reeling' by Crossland's hide in the evening,
6 Avocet chicks (East Holm), 2 (Cell 'A') & a single on the Silt pond. 3 & 8 Shelduck ducklings (East Holm), the 4th Gadwall family of 10 ducklings (West Holm) & a Great crested grebe chick (Village lake),
Bumblebees - Garden & Tree bumblebees,
Dragonflies - 4 Spot chaser, Hairy dragonfly, Black-tailed skimmer, Azure, Blue-tailed, Common blue & Emerald damselfly,
Butterfly count - 11 Meadow brown, 5 Ringlet, 2 each of Large white & Small tortoiseshell, single Comma, Small skipper, Red admiral & Green-veined white


Ratpula maculata by the Carp lake
Posted By: BJNcw on 6/18/2025 4:49:53 PM

Tuesday 17th June 2025

The Cuckoo was calling by the Far lake in the morning,
A Green sandpiper was on Cell 'A',
There were 3 Eygptian geese (2 on West Holm & 1 on Village lake),
Also seen was Marsh harrier, Hobby (Carp lake), Tawny owl (West path) & Mediterranean gull (West Holm)
Bumblebees - Common carder, Early & Red-tailed bumblebees,
Dragonflies - 4 Spotted chaser, Black-tailed skimmer, Azure, Blue-tailed & Common blue damselflies
Butterfly count - 8 Marbled white, 4 Large whites, 3 Comma & Meadow browns, single Ringlet, female Orange tip & Small tortoiseshell


Marbled white feeding by the Maize field path
Posted By: BJNcw on 6/17/2025 4:51:33 PM