News

Wednesday 30th April 2025

A male Wheatear was by the south east of the Silt pond on the adjacent sand hills, with a singing Garden warbler nearby,
1 or 2 Hobbies were seen over East Holm in the early morning,
The Cuckoo was calling & seen by the Far lake,
Also seen was Barn owl (New workings in the morning), Great white egret (Cells 'A' & 'B'), Marsh harrier & Mediterranean gulls
Bumblebees - Garden bumblebee,
Butterfly count - 9 Orange tip, 6 Peacock, 4 Speckled wood, 3 Large white, Green-veined white & Wall


Male Wheatear by the Silt pond
Posted By: BJNcw on 4/30/2025 4:08:59 PM

Tuesday 29th April 2025

The Great white egret spent most of the day again on Cell 'A',
5 Common terns were on East Holm, with the pair of Eygptian geese seen nearby,
In the early morning, a Hobby flew west over the Reed-bed, followed by a Peregrine a little later in the same direction.


Singing Sedge warbler by the Dragonfly ponds
Posted By: BJNcw on 4/29/2025 5:49:04 PM

Monday 28th April 2025

The first Cuckoo of the year was both calling & seen by the Carp & Far lakes in the morning,
A Whimbrel was on East Holm in the morning, with 10 seen there in the afternoon,
The Great white egret spent most of the day on Cell 'A', with a Yellow wagtail seen south over the Silt pond & a 1st winter Mediterranean gull joining the 6 + adults over East & West Holms,
Also 30 Avocets, Corn bunting, a pair of Eygptian geese, Little owl, Marsh harrier, Red kite, Peregrine & 2 Snipe,
Bumblebees today - Common carder,
Butterflies today - 5 Peacock, 4 Orange tip, single Green-veined & large whites, Speckled wood, Brimstone
Dragonflies today - Azure & Common blue damselflies


Drake Shoveler over the Village lake
Posted By: BJNcw on 4/28/2025 4:20:19 PM

Sunday 27th April 2025

The drake Mandarin was seen to fly from the Village lake towards the Main lake in the early morning,
In the morning, 2 Whimbrel were seen to fly east over the reserve, with another 3 seen on East Holm later, plus 4 south over the New workings in the late evening,
10 Black-tailed godwits circled East & West Holm & then briefly dropped onto the Village lake,
A Hobby was seen in the New workings, along with the pair of Partridges by the West End & 2 hunting Barn owls,
Also seen was Common sandpipers (New workings & East Holm), 8+ Mediterranean gulls, Dunlin (East Holm) & Great white egret (Main lake)
Bumblebees today - Garden bumblebee
Butterfly count - 8 Peacock, 7 Orange tips (all males), 3 Green-veined & single Large & Small whites, plus a Brimstone & Speckled wood


Posted By: BJNcw on 4/27/2025 5:57:38 PM

Saturday 26th April 2025

2 Swifts at various spots of the reserve this morning, were the1st record for this year,
The Great white egret was on Cell 'A' & later flew towards the New workings,
A Whimbrel was on Cell 'A' in the evening (with 2 seen earlier on East Holm), with a Common sandpiper on the Silt pond,
Also seen was 26 Avocets, Little owl, Barn owl (in the New workings in the morning), Peregrine (at several spots), 3 Red kites, Bearded tit (pair in Cell 'C'), Canada goose (single on Village lake), Egyptian goose (2 in North field), 20 Pink-footed geese (east in early morning), a jay north east over the reserve, 6+ Mediterranean gulls, Garden warbler (singing male at Silt pond) & a Yellow wagtail (North path),
Bumblebees today - Buff-tailed, Common carder & Garden bumblebees
Butterflies - 6 Orange tips (all males), Peacock, Small & Green-veined whites


Barn owl in the New workings
Posted By: BJNcw on 4/26/2025 6:42:09 PM

Friday 25th April 2025

A Whimbrel was briefly on Cell 'A' in the late morning, with a Common sandpiper seen on the Reed-bed & Silt pond,
Great white egrets were on the Reed-bed & Cell 'A'/New workings,
Also seen was Corn bunting (North hedge), Pink-footed goose (East Holm), 6+ Mediterranean gulls, Little owl & Barn owl (New workings in the morning)
Buff-tailed bumblebee was seen today


Common tern on East Holm
Posted By: BJNcw on 4/25/2025 4:20:28 PM

Thursday 24th April 2025

A Common sandpiper & Ringed plover were on East Holm, with 3 Curlews nearby,
The Great white egret was seen on the Reed-bed & Main lake,
Also seen was Peregrine (over Crossland's lake), Barn owl (New workings), a Common tern & at least 6 Mediterranean gulls,
Butterflies today included 2 Small tortoiseshells, a Peacock, Small white,  & Orange tip


Male Whitethroat in the New workings
Posted By: BJNcw on 4/24/2025 4:10:30 PM

Wednesday 23rd April 2025

New for the year, was a Black tern briefly over East Holm in the morning & a Hobby over Crossland's hide in the afternoon,
The male Wheatear was still in the New workings,
In the evening, there was a brief adult Little gull on the Main lake,
Waders included, 4 Black-tailed godwits, 4+ Little ringed plovers, 8+ Whimbrels (East Holm) & 6 Whimbrels (Crossland's lake & East Holm),
Also seen was a Barn owl (West End), 2 Great white egrets (Main lake), a Common tern (East Holm), 2 singing Corn buntings, 2 Eygptian geese, Little owl, Marsh harrier, 6+ Mediterranean gulls (6+ adults & a 1st winter), Peregrine (over East Holm), Red kite, drake Wigeon & Yellow wagtail
Posted By: BJNcw on 4/23/2025 4:04:01 PM

Tuesday 22nd April 2025

Today, there were 4 Black-tailed godwits, plus a Ringed plover on East Holm,
The male Wheatear was still present in the New workings,
The 1st Greylag goose family of the year hatched today,
Also seen were 2 Barn owls, a Great white egret, Common tern, 2 Eygptian geese, 6+ adult Mediterranean gulls & a drake Wigeon
Posted By: BJNcw on 4/23/2025 4:03:45 PM

Monday 21st April 2025

There were 16 Arctic terns at East Holm,
Waders present included 3 Black-tailed godwits on the Village lake, 12 Curlews on East Holm & Ringed plover on East Holm,
A Lapwing with 3 chicks was on the North field,
2 adult Little gulls were on East Holm, before flying off to the south,
Also seen was a Common tern & pair of Eygptian geese (both East Holm), Barn owl, Great white egret (Reed-bed), pair of Grey partridge (West End), Little owl, Marsh harrier, 7 Mediterranean gulls (6 adults & a 1st summer), male Wheatear (New workings) & drake Wigeon (West Holm)
Orange tip, Green-veined & Large white butterflies, Speckled wood & Brimstone were flying today
Posted By: BJNcw2 on 4/22/2025 6:20:01 PM

Sunday 20th April 2025

There were 3 Black-tailed godwits on the Village lake, 3 Green sandpipers in the New workings & a Whimbrel on East Holm,
In the New workings, the male Wheatear & the pair of Partridges were still present,
Just a single Common tern, 2 Eygptian & a Pink-footed goose were present on East Holm,
Also seen was Barn owl, Great white egret, 20+ House Martin, Little owl, Marsh harrier, 9+ Mediterranean gulls & Mistle thrush (West End)
Peacock, Orange tip & Speckled wood were seen today
Posted By: BJNcw2 on 4/21/2025 11:52:26 AM

Saturday 19th April 2025

2 Common cranes circled to the north & then flew north east,
8 Arctic terns flew east in the early morning, with 4 Common terns on East Holm,
Waders present, included Black-tailed godwit, Curlew & Dunlin,
Also seen was 3 Egyptian geese, the pair of Grey partridge at the West End, Great white egret, 3+ Lesser whitethroat, Little owl, Marsh harrier, 10 Mediterranean gulls, 2 Pink-footed geese, a drake Wigeon & Yellow wagtail,
Green-veined white & Orange tip were seen today
Posted By: BJNcw2 on 4/20/2025 4:55:05 PM

Friday 18th April 2025

2 Lesser whitethroats along Dryham lane, were the first for the year,
A drake Mandarin duck was on the south shore of the Far lake,
A Spoonbill flew over in the morning,
36+ Avocets (East Holm), 12 Black-tailed godwits,  Eygptian & 2 Pink-footed geese were present,
A Little gull & an Osprey north in the mid afternoon,
Also seen were 2 Common terns, Great white egret, Little owl, Marsh harrier, 12 Mediterranean gulls, 300+ Sand Martin, male & female Wheatear (New workings), at least 1 Yellow wagtail
Green-veined white, Orange tip & Speckled wood butterflies were seen today
Posted By: BJNcw2 on 4/19/2025 6:01:18 AM

Thursday 17th April 2025

There were 40 Avocets on East Holm, with 4 Black-tailed godwits, a Common sandpiper, Whimbrel & 40 Curlews (all East Holm),
8 Whooper swans flew over, plus 3 Egyptian & a Pink-footed goose (East Holm),
A male Wheatear was in the New workings, with up to 2 Great white egrets seen,
Also seen was 2 Grey partridges (North fields), Little owl, Marsh harrier, 6+ Mediterranean gulls, a Raven (1 north west of the West End), 150+ Sand martins, Red kite & Yellow wagtail
Brimstone, Peacock & Orange tip were flying today
Posted By: BJNcw2 on 4/18/2025 6:43:16 AM

Wednesday 15th April 2025

The first Whitethroat of the year was in the New workings,
8 Black-tailed godwits were on the Village lake, with a Green sandpiper & Dunlin on East Holm,
Over Crossland's lake, there were 300 Sand martins, 10 House martins & 10 Swallows,
Also seen was Great white egret (Cell 'C'), 2 Egyptian geese (North field) & 6 Mediterranean gulls
Peacock seen today
Posted By: BJNcw2 on 4/17/2025 6:57:41 AM

Tuesday 15th April 2025

A Wheatear was seen by the Southern Bridal path in the New workings,
There were single Common & Arctic terns on East Holm, with 8 (6 adult & 2 1st winter) Mediterranean gulls,
A pair of Egyptian & a Pink-footed geese were on East Holm, along with 4 Pochards,
20+ Avocets, 4+ Black-tailed godwits & Curlews were the waders present,
Also seen was Barn owl (Cell 'C', early morning), 2+ Bearded tits (Cell 'C', including a male), singing Corn bunting & a pair of Grey partridges (both West End), 2 Great white egrets, 20+ House martins (Crossland's), Little owl, Red kite, Raven north. y Common farm, 300+ Sand martins & 2 Yellow wagtails
Posted By: BJNcw2 on 4/16/2025 1:50:29 PM

Monday 14th April 2025

A Whimbrel was seen to fly from East Holm towards Cell 'A'
3 Yellow wagtails were in the ploughed North field,
4 Black-tailed godwits were present,
The Barn owl was seen in the evening
Posted By: BJNcw2 on 4/15/2025 8:20:04 AM

Sunday 13th April 2025

Today, there were 20 Avocets, 8 Black-tailed godwits, 2 Common sandpipers, a Green sandpiper, 4 Little ringed plovers, 2 Ruffs (West Holm) & 23 Oystercatchers,
2 Canada & a single Egyptian goose were present,
A Great white egret & pair of Grey partridges (West End),
The first Mallard ducklings of the year were seen,
Also seen was Barn owl, Corn bunting, Jay, Little owl, 2 Marsh harriers, 6 Mediterranean gulls, Peregrine, Red kite & Yellow wagtail
Posted By: BJNcw2 on 4/14/2025 9:16:53 AM

Saturday 12th April 2025

There were 18 Arctic terns that flew east in the early morning, plus a Whimbrel that flew over Dryham farm calling,
28+ Avocets were about the reserve, with 10+ Black-tailed godwits, Green sandpiper, 20+ Curlews, 4 Little ringed plovers & 2 Ruffs (West Holm),
2 Canada, 3 Egyptian geese & the female Scaup were on East Holm, with about 100 Pink-footed geese seen to fly north west over the reserve,
Also seen was Common tern (East Holm), Great white egret, Little owl, Marsh harrier, 5+ Mediterranean gulls, Red kite & Yellow wagtail
Speckled wood & Green-veined white were seen
Posted By: BJNcw2 on 4/12/2025 11:55:26 PM

Friday 11th April 2025

The year's first records of Common sandpiper (East Holm), Whitethroat (New workings) & 2 singing Reed warblers,
A drake Common scoter was on Crossland's lake, with 2 Canada, a Pink-footed goose & 3 Egyptian geese (the latter at East Holm), along with the female Scaup,
11+ Black-tailed godwits, 50+ Curlews (Crossland's lake), 24+ Avocets, 3 Green sandpipers & 4+ Little ringed plovers,
Also seen was Barn owl (West End), Corn bunting (North hedge), Common tern (East Holm), Great white egret , Jay (south over Main lake), Marsh harrier, 2 Meadow pipits, 6 Mediterranean gulls, Raven (over Dryham farm), Red kite, 2 Tawny owls & Yellow wagtail
Speckled wood, Brimstone & Small white were seen today
Posted By: BJNcw2 on 4/12/2025 5:13:50 AM

Thursday 10th April 2025

2 Common cranes flew south west over the reserve,
12 Black-tailed godwits, 50 Curlews, 4 Little ringed plovers, a Ringed plover (East Holm) & a Green sandpiper were the waders present today,
2 Canada geese were on Crossland's lake, with the Pink-footed goose & the female Scaup (East Holm) also seen,
Also seen was Barn owl (West End), Corn bunting (North field), pair of Grey partridge (West End), Little owl, 2 pairs of Mediterranean gulls, Marsh harrier, Peregrine, Raven (single north at West End), Yellow wagtail (Cell 'A') & 2 Tawny owls (New workings)
Posted By: BJNcw2 on 4/11/2025 4:33:57 PM