News

Saturday 5th July 2025

There were 4 adults & 4 juvenile Mediterranean gulls on East Holm today,
Hobby & Peregrine were hunting over the reserve, with a Barn owl seen early in the morning,
7 Avocet chicks present (5 on East Holm & singles on Cell 'A' & the Silt pond)
Bumblebees - Buff-tailed bumblebee
Butterflies - Red admiral
Posted By: BJNcw2 on 7/5/2025 6:19:23 PM

Friday 4th July 2025

A Great white egret flew west over the reserve, alighting in Cells 'A' & 'B',
On East Holm, there was an adult Mediterranean gull with 3 juveniles, as well as the 1st summer bird. Also here was a Common sandpiper & party grown Little ringed plover chick,
On West Holm, the female Pochard & the 2 ducklings were seen,
7 Avocet chicks seen (5 on East Holm & singles on Cell 'A & the Silt pond),
Also seen was Little owl
Bumblebees - Garden bumblebee,
Dragonflies - 4 Spot chaser, Black-tailed skimmer, Common darter, Blue-tailed, Willow emerald & Common blue damselflies,
Butterflies - Green-veined, Large, Marbled & Small whites, Small skipper, Peacock, Ringlet, Meadow brown, Red admiral & Painted lady


Common sandpiper on East Holm
Posted By: BJNcw on 7/4/2025 10:00:55 AM

Thursday 3rd July 2025

There was a Common sandpiper on East Holm & juvenile Redshank on Crossland's lake causeway,
A Peregrine, spent some time about Crossland's lake in the morning,
There were 3 Mediterranean gulls on East holm (adult, 1st summer & juvenile),
7 Avocet chicks were about (5 on East Holm & singles on Cell 'A' & the Silt pond),
Also seen was Marsh harrier, Barn owl (New workings) & Little owl,
Bumblebees - Common carder, Garden & Red-tailed bumblebees,
Butterflies - Green-veined, Large, Marbled & Small whites, Essex & Small skippers, Meadow brown, Ringlet, Small tortoiseshell, Red admiral, Gatekeeper, Painted lady, Small copper & Common blue,
Dragonflies - Emperor dragonfly, 4 Spot chaser, Brown hawker, Black-tailed skimmer, Common & Ruddy darter, Blue-tailed, Common blue & Willow emerald damselflies


Adult & Juvenile Mediterranean gull on East Holm
Posted By: BJNcw on 7/3/2025 3:11:02 PM

Wednesday 2nd July 2025

In the morning, there was a juvenile Redshank, Dunlin & Common sandpiper on East Holm (another Common sandpiper was on the Silt pond),
Also on East Holm were 2 adults, a 1st summer & 3 juvenile Mediterranean gulls, plus 7 Avocet chicks (further chicks were on the Silt pond & Cell 'A'),
A juvenile Bearded tit was seen in Cell 'C', with 3 seen below Crossland's hide,
Also seen was 3 Dunlins on Crossland's lake causeway, 17 Black-tailed godwits east through the reserve & Hobby (over East Holm)
Butterflies - Meadow brown,
Dragonflies - Blue-tailed & Common blue damselflies


Avocet on the Reed-bed
Posted By: BJNcw on 7/2/2025 3:28:46 PM

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, juvenile Redshank & Dunlin (both 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