News

Saturday 18th May 2024

The Savi's warbler was 'reeling' from the south western corner of the Village lake,
Two Garden warblers were heard singing,
A Great white egret was on Cell 'A' in the early morning
A Corn bunting was again heard singing by the West End,
The Cuckoo was calling from several spots on the reserve,
Also seen was Red kite (over the North field) & 2 Hobbies (over the Carp lake). 
Butterflies today - 8 Orange tips (including a female), 5 Wall, 4 Green-veined whites, plus single Small copper & male Common blue,
Dragonflies today - 3 each of Hairy dragonfly & 4 Spot chaser, male & female Variable damselfly, plus Azure, Blue-tailed, Common blue & Large red damselflies,
Bumblebees today - Common carder bumblebee


Hairy dragonfly in the New workings
Posted By: BJNcw on 5/18/2024 3:45:42 PM

Friday 17th May 2024

In the late afternoon, a Turnstone was seen on the north shore of Cell 2a,
The Savi's warbler was 'reeling' from the south western corner of the Village lake in the morning,
Garden warblers were singing on the Turret hide path & in the New workings,
Again in the New workings,one of the Corn buntings was singing at the West End,
The Cuckoo was calling at several spots around the reserve,
Butterflies today - 3 Wall, 2 Green-veined whites,
Dragonflies - Azure, Blue-tailed & Common blue damselflies,
Bumblebees today - Common carder & Garden bumblebees


Sand martin in the New workings
Posted By: BJNcw on 5/17/2024 4:54:05 PM

Thursday 16th May 2024

The Savi's warbler 'reeled for long periods during the morning from the Village lake side of Dryham lane,
Garden warblers were heard by Cell 2a & the Turret hide, 
2 Tawny owlets were seen on the 'owl' tree at Crossland's lake,
The Cuckoo was heard calling from various parts of the reserve,
4 Little grebe chicks were seen on the Main lake,
Hobby was seen today,
Dragonflies today - Hairy dragonfly, Azure, Blue-tailed & Common blue damselflies,
Also Common carder bumblebees were seen


Reed warbler on Cell 'A'
Posted By: BJNcw on 5/16/2024 4:33:12 PM

Thursday 15th May 2024

A Turnstone was in the north west corner of Cell 2a in the afternoon, where there was also 5 Black-tailed godwits on the north eastern shore in the morning,
The Savi's warbler was back 'reeling' heard from Dryham lane on the Village lake side,
2 Garden warblers were singing (Dryham lane & the Silt pond),
8 Little grebe chicks were seen (2 each on the Village & Far lakes, Reed-bed & Cell 'A')
Also seen was a Bearded tit (Cell 'C'), Hobby, Cuckoo calling, 2 Spotted flycatchers (East path), Canada goose & Common & Green sandpiper (Silt pond),
Butterflies included, Orange tip, Speckled wood & green-veined white
Azure, Blue-tailed  Common blue damselflies were seen, as well as Common carder bumblebee


Male Reed bunting by the Maize field
Posted By: BJNcw on 5/15/2024 4:52:03 PM

Tuesday 14th May 2024

A Temminck's stint was found on Cell 'A' in the morning, later on being seen on Cell 2a & then in the afternoon, another bird was on Cell 'A',
A Greenshank was on Cell 1a, before flying off to the east,
2 Common sandpipers were on Cell 'A', as well as a Dunlin
The White-fronted goose was with Greylags on fields by the West End,
2 Cuckoos were calling in the morning, with 2 Garden warblers heard singing,
A Little grebe family of 4 chicks were on the Village lake,
Also seen was 2+ Marsh harriers, Canada goose (Cell 2a), 2 Corn buntings (West End), 2 Hobbies (feeding over the reserve), Little owl, 2 Mediterranean gulls & Yellow wagtail


White-fronted goose in fields by the West End
Posted By: BJNcw on 5/14/2024 6:00:12 PM

Monday 13th May 2024

The White-fronted goose was in fields by the West End, with the 2 Eygptian geese appearing later on Cell 'A',
Up to 4 Garden warblers are currently singing at various locations of the reserve,
A Cuckoo was calling from the west of the reserve,
Up to 6 Yellow wagtails & a well grown Lapwing chick were in the North field,
A Common sandpiper was on the Silt pond,
2 Hobbies were hunting the reserve,
Butterflies today - Orange tip, Wall, Green-veined white & holly blue,
Dragonflies today - 4 Spot chaser, Hairy dragonfly, Azure, Blue-tailed, Common blue & Red-eyed damselflies
Bumblebees - Common carder & Buff-tailed bumblebees


Grey heron over Dryham lane
Posted By: BJNcw on 5/13/2024 5:47:01 PM

Sunday 12th May 2024

There was a Spotted flycatchers seen from the Viewing platform,
A Wheatear was in the North fields, along with 2 Fieldfares, a hunting Merlin & 5+ Yellow wagtails,
A Bittern was seen to fly from the Village lake reeds viewed from the Turret hide,
Also seen was Raven (over East ridge), Barn & Little owls, 44 Avocets, a Canada goose, 2 Corn buntings (West End), 2 Eygptian geese, 2+ Cuckoos, Common sandpiper, at least 3 Garden warblers, 3+ Hobbies, Greenshank, Marsh harrier, adult Mediterranean gull (Cell 2a), Red kite, Water rail & White-fronted goose,
Butterflies today - Orange tip, Holly blue, Peacock, Brimstone & Red admiral,
Dragonflies today - 4 Spot chaser, Hairy dragonfly, Large red, Azure, Blue-tailed & Common blue damselflies. A male Variable damselfly was by the Carp lake, a first record for the reserve,
Bumblebees today - Common carder bumblebee


Spotted flycatcher from the Viewing platform
Posted By: BJNcw on 5/12/2024 3:15:53 PM

Saturday 11th May 2024

The White-tailed eagle made a brief appearance to the north of the reserve in the late morning,
On the Main lake there was a summer plumaged Black-necked grebe,
At various spots on the reserve (Cell2a, Island & Village lakes), there was a drake Garganey,
The White-fronted goose could be see well on Cell 2a,
At least 7 Yellow wagtails were on the North field,
A Black tern flew thro' in the late afternoon,
Also seen was Singing Garden warblers (Silt pond, New workings & Dryham lane), singing Corn bunting (New workings), 5 Curlew (Cell 2a), Greenshank, Common sandpiper, 2 males Cuckoos, Kingfisher, Jay (New workings), at least 5 Hobby (over reserve), Barn owl (early morning), 2 Little owl, Ringed plover (Cell 2a), adult Mediterranean gull, 2 Eygptian geese & 2 Pink-footed geese
Butterflies today - 18 Orange tip (including a female), 6 Wall, 5 Peacock, 3 Green-veined white, Holly blue & a Large white,
Dragonflies today - Large red, Red-eyed, Azure & Common blue damselflies
Bumblebees today, Common carder, Garden, Early & Red-tailed bumblebees


Black-necked grebe on the Main lake
Posted By: BJNcw on 5/11/2024 4:41:50 PM

Friday 10th May 2024

The days' highlight was 2 White-winged black terns found over Cell 2a in the early morning. During the day they commuted between Cell 2a, Cell 1a & Crossland's lake.
Later on they were joined by a 1st winter Little gull on Crossland's lake,
In the late afternoon, an immature White-tailed eagle flew over Dryham farm, before drifting off to the north,
The Savi's warbler was heard from the south western shore of the Village lake in the evening,
A female Pintail was on the Island lake, with a Canada goose briefly on Cell 2a,
Up to 3 Garden warblers were heard to sing today,
2 Cuckoos were calling & seen at various spots of the reserve today,
Also seen was Mistle thrush (Dryham lane), singing Corn bunting (New workings), Hobby, Red kite, Marsh harrier, Peregrine, Little & Tawny owl, 2 Mediterranean gulls, 2 Whimbrel, Redshank (over Crossland's lake & 4+ Yellow wagtail (North field)
Butterflies today - 7 Orange tips, 5 Green-veined whites, 3 Small whites, 2 Wall, Brimstone & Peacock
Dragonflies today - 5 Large red damselflies. Azure & Blue-tailed damselfly, plus a Hairy hawker & 4 Spot chaser
Bumblebees today - Common carder, Garden & Tree bumblebees


White-winged Black terns over Cell 2a
Posted By: BJNcw on 5/10/2024 4:39:24 PM

Thursday 9th May 2024

In the late evening, the Savi's warbler was singing in the south west corner of the Village lake,
The Garden warbler was still singing in the north eastern corner of the Silt pond,
Redshank was heard over Cell 1a, a Curlew heard in the New workings & a Common sandpiper was on the Carp lake, A Whimbrel was briefly on the Silt pond in the evening,
There are at least 20 pairs of Avocets currently sitting,
Corn bunting was singing in the New workings, with 3 Yellow wagtails in the North field,
Butterflies - 9 male Orange tips, 6 Green-veined whites, 2 Small whites, plus Large white, Peacock & Speckled wood,
Dragonflies, Hairy dragonfly, Azure, Blue-tailed, Common blue & Large red damselflies
Bumblebees - Common carder & Garden bumblebees


Common tern hunting over Crossland's lake
Posted By: BJNcw on 5/9/2024 3:53:58 PM