News

Sunday 21st July 2019

A Quail was heard calling from the western end of the New workings,
3 Green sandpipers were on the Island Lake, with further singles on Cell 'C' & the New workings,
A Dunlin was on Cell 'A', , as was a Common sandpiper, with an adult & 2 x 2nd summer Mediterranean gulls,
Also seen was Marsh harrier, Grey partridge & Barn owl, Little owl (New workings) & Kingfisher (Main Lake),
Butterfly count - 24 Meadow brown, 3 Red admiral, 2 Large white, single Small skipper, Gatekeeper, Small tortoiseshell, Speckled wood, Purple hairstreak, Painted lady & Marbled white,
Bumblebees were Common carder, Garden & Red-tailed bumblebee,
Brown & Southern hawker & Common blue damselfly were also seen.

Green sandpiper on the Island Lake
Posted By: Barry on 7/21/2019 7:54:33 PM

Saturday 20th July 2019

Today, proof of Teal breeding in Cell 'C' (3 young seen) & a juvenile Pochard in the same area,
Waders included, 3 Common sandpiper (Cell 'A'), 2 Avocets (Silt pond), 5 Green sandpiper & a Little ringed plover (Island Lake), with 9 Black-tailed godwits (Island Lake) in the evening,
Also seen was Marsh harrier, 1st summer Mediterranean gull (Silt pond), 2 Kingfishers (Far Lake), 20 Little egrets (Carp Lake), Bearded tits & Barn owl (Reed-bed), eclipse Garganey & 4+ Yellow wagtails (Island Lake), Redshank, 3 Green woodpeckers, Red kite & Yellowhammer (New workings),
Butterfly count included - 42 Meadow brown, 17 Gatekeeper, 12 Small skipper, 6 Large white, 4 Ringlet, 2 Speckled wood & Peacock, single Small tortoiseshell, Marbled white, Small white & Essex skipper,
Bumblebees included - Common carder, Garden, Buff, Red & White-tailed,
Brown hawker, Emperor dragonfly, Black-tailed skimmer, Common darter, Common blue & Blue-tailed damselflies were also present

Little grebe on the Main Lake

Essex skipper from the Maize path
Posted By: Barry on 7/20/2019 6:51:01 PM

Friday 19th July 2019

Up to 5 Green sandpipers a Redshank, Little ringed plover  & the eclipse Garganey were on the Island Lake,
3 Juvenile Bearded tits were seen outside the North hide on the Reed-bed, along with another Tufted duck family of 8 & a Yellow wagtail nearby,,
A parent & juvenile Avocet were on the Reed-bed,
Kingfisher & 2 Snipe flying over the Carp Lake,
There were 3 Common sandpipers on Cell 'A',
A Wigeon was on the Village Lake, 
A small butterfly count this morning gave, 10 Meadow brown, 5 Gatekeepers, 3 Small skippers, 2 Ringlets, plus a Peacock & Brown argus
Common carder & Red-tailed bumblebees were flying, as were Common darters, Common blue & Blue-tailed damselflies

Green sandpiper on the Island Lake

Red-tailed bumblebee on the Maize field path
Posted By: Barry on 7/19/2019 7:05:05 PM

Thursday 18th July 2019

In the afternoon, there were 2 Black-tailed godwits on Cell 'A', with another on the Reed-bed,
At the same time there were 3 Green sandpipers on the Island Lake, earlier there had been a Little ringed plover & Snipe there as well,
A pair of Kingfishers were seen about the Carp Lake (they were on the Village lake in the afternoon),
In the morning, a Peregrine was chased off Cell 'A' by 4 Common terns,
Also seen was a Canada goose (Village Lake & Cell 'A'), Yellow wagtail (North field), & Red kite,
Butterfly count : 42 Meadow brown, 11 Gatekeeper & Large white, 6 Speckled wood & Ringlet, 2 Small skipper & Small tortoiseshell, single Small white & Comma,
Garden & Common carder bumblebees were out,
Common darter, Common blue & Blue-tailed damselflies were also out.

Whitethroat along Dryham Lane, with thanks to Mike Ashforth

Comma on Dryham Lane, with thanks to Mike Ashforth
Posted By: Barry on 7/18/2019 7:26:01 PM

Wednesday 17th July 2019

Today a juvenile Peregrine stooped over Cell 'A', where there was also a Common sandpiper,
The eclipse drake Garganey was still on the Island Lake, where 15 Shelduck ducklings were counted,
A Kingfisher was by the Far Lake,
A single Little ringed plover on the Reed-bed & 2 on the Island Lake,
6 Grey herons & 53 Mute swans were on the reserve today,
Butterfly count today: 57 Meadow brown, 17 Gatekeeper, 9 Large white, 6 Speckled wood, 5 Ringlet, Small tortoiseshell & Small skipper, 4 Small white, 1 Red admiral & Marbled white,
Bumblebees were Buff & Red-tailed, Common carder, Garden & Heath bumblebees,
Also Emperor dragonfly, 4 Spot chaser, Black-tailed skimmer, Common darter, Common blue & Blue-tailed damselflies




Grass snake along Dryham Lane, with thanks to Mike Ashforth

Gatekeeper along Dryham Lane

Female Sphaerophoria sp. on Dryham Lane
Posted By: Barry on 7/17/2019 6:33:06 PM

Tuesday 16th July 2019

Green sandpipers were on Cell 'C' & the Village Lake,
A Common sandpiper was on Cell 'A', along with an adult Mediterranean gull,
The eclipse drake Garganey was on the Reed-bed, along with 2+ Bearded tits,
A Tawny owl was heard from the East path in the morning,
Also seen was Hobby (Far Corner), Coal tit (Dryham Lane), Marsh harrier, Water rail (Island Lake) & Barn owl
Butterfly count was 48 Meadow brown, 24 Small skipper, 10 Large white, 9 Ringlet, 6 Gatekeeper, 4 Small white, 2 Comma, Essex skipper, Small white, single Small tortoiseshell, Red admiral & Green-veined white. Also seen was Marbled white & Painted lady,  Later on in the day Purple hairstreaks were seen in the New workings
Bumblebees included Common carder, Red-tailed & Garden bumblebees,
Emperor dragonflies, Southern & Brown hawker, 4 Spot chaser, Black-tailed skimmer, Common & Ruddy darter, Banded demoiselle, Common blue & Blue-tailed, Azure, Red-eyed & Small red eyed, Emerald damselflies were also about

Green sandpiper on the Village Lake

Essex skipper on the Maize field
Posted By: Barry on 7/16/2019 7:24:42 PM

Monday 15th July 2019

Early in the morning 2 Otters were briefly seen on the Village Lake
The eclipse drake Garganey was on the Reed-bed today, along with a late hunting Barn owl & 4 juvenile Bearded tits,
On the Island Lake, there was a Black-tailed godwit, Little ringed plover, Green sandpiper & 3 Yellow wagtails
Also seen or heard, was Yellowhammer, Cetti's warbler, drake Mandarin, Garden warbler, 2 Red kites & juvenile Mediterranean gull
The butterfly count was 42 Meadow brown, 18 Ringlet, 7 Small skipper, 5 Speckled wood, 3 Painted lady & Large white, 2 Small tortoiseshell & Marbled white, single Large skipper, Gatekeeper, Red admiral & Small white, with Painted lady also seen
Common carder, Red-tailed & Garden bumblebees were about,
Dragonflies included, Emperor dragonfly, Brown & Southern hawkers, Common & Ruddy darter, Black-tailed skimmer, 4 Spot chaser, Common Blue, Blue-tailed & Emerald damselflies

Black-tailed godwit on the Island Lake

Small skipper by the Maize field path
Posted By: Barry on 7/15/2019 6:31:25 PM

Sunday 14th July 2019

The eclipse drake Garganey turned up today on the Island lake & later the Reed-bed,
A Green sandpiper was also on the Island lake, with a Greenshank flying over,
5 Bearded tits were seen on the Reed-bed,
Also seen was Marsh harrier, Peregrine, Tawny owl (Far Corner), eclipse Mandarin (Dryham Ings), 9 Mediterranean gulls (Cell 'A'), Barn owl, Goldcrest (Far Corner), Cetti's warbler, Peregrine, 3 other Green sandpipers, Grey wagtail, 4 Yellow wagtails & Yellowhammer
A Glossy ibis was seen flying north over the Silt pond & New workings briefly in the mid morning.
Butterflies included, Purple hairstreak, Meadow brown, Small tortoiseshell, Painted lady, Comma, Small skipper, Gatekeeper, Marbled white, Small white & Ringlet
Dragonflies seen were Emperor dragonfly, 4 Spot chaser, Black-tailed skimmer, Common & Ruddy darter, Common Blue & Blue-tailed damselflies,
Bumblebees were Buff & White-tailed, Common carder & Garden bumblebees

Tufted duck family on the Reed-bed

Comma on Dryham Lane
Posted By: Barry on 7/14/2019 7:40:15 PM

Saturday 13th July 2019

Today, there was 15 Mediterranean gulls on Cell 'A',
A Little ringed plover was on the Reed-bed, with a Common sandpiper on Cell 'A' & eclipse drake Mandarin, plus 2 Green sand piper on Cell 'C',
An adult & juvenile Avocet were still about the reserve,
Also seen was Red kite, Kingfisher, Corn bunting, 2 Yellow wagtails, Treecreeper & Yellowhammer
Butterflies seen included, Essex skipper, Wall, Gatekeeper. Meadow brown, Ringlet, Small skipper, Speckled wood, Red admiral, Comma, Marbled white & Large white,
Garden bumblebees were about, as was Southern hawker, 4 Spot chaser, Ruddy darter & Common blue & Blue-tailed damselflies

Juvenile Bearded tit on the Reed-bed
Posted By: Barry on 7/13/2019 6:55:59 PM

Friday 12th July 2019

The main news today, is the discovery of a Purple hairstreak butterfly colony in the New workings,
At the same place 2 juvenile Grey partridges were seen,
An eclipse Garganey was initially on the lowered Island Lake, before moving to the Village Lake,
A Little ringed plover was on the Reed-bed, along with a new family of 8 Tufted ducklings,
A further family of 3 was on Cell 'A', where there was at least 9 Mediterranean gulls,
Also seen was 2 Corn buntings (New workings), pair of Bullfinch, 6 Green sandpiper (Cell 'C'), 2 Grey wagtail (Cell 'C'), Kingfisher & at least 3 Yellowhammers,
Other butterflies seen, included 32 Meadow browns, 18 Ringlets, 14 Small skipper, 6 Gatekeepers. 3 Small tortoiseshells & Painted ladies, 2 Large white & single Marbled white, Small white & Speckled wood,
Garden, Red & White-tailed bumblebees were flying today,
Also Southern hawker, Black-tailed skimmer, 4 Spot chaser, Common & Ruddy darters, Common blue & Blue-tailed damselflies were also present

Stoat on Dryham Lane, with thanks to Mike Ashforth

Garganey on the Island Lake

Marbled white on the North path

Great crested grebe chicks on the Main Lake
Posted By: Barry on 7/12/2019 7:38:56 PM

Thursday 11th July 2019

A Kingfisher flew by the Main Lake,
2 adult Mediterranean gulls were on Cell 'A', 
The adult Redshank was on the Reed-bed, with the juvenile on Cell 'C',
A Yellow wagtail flew over the Reed-bed, with Marsh harrier & Red kite also seen, also the 3 juvenile Bearded tits were present,
Butterflies were, 34 Meadow brown, 27 Ringlet, 7 Large white, 4 Small skipper, 3 Painted lady, Gatekeeper & Small tortoiseshell, with single Red admiral Comma, Marbled white & Essex skipper,
Bumblebee wise, there was Red & white-tailed, Common carder & Garden bumblebees,For dragonflies, Emperor dragonfly, 4 Spot chaser, Black-tailed skimmer,Brown hawker, Common blue & Blue-tailed damselflies

Goldfinch on Dryham Lane

Comma by the Far Corner
Posted By: Barry on 7/11/2019 4:48:53 PM