News

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, Garden warbler & 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
Common carder, Red-tailed & Garden bumblebees were about,
Dragonflies included, Emperor dragonfly, Brown & Southern hawkers, Common darter, Black-tailed skimmer, 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
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 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

Wednesday 10th July 2019

A Common sandpiper was on the Main Lake in the morning,
3 Little ringed plovers were on the Reed-bed, with the juvenile Bearded tits being also heard,
Also seen was juvenile Peregrine (Village Lake), 2 Barn owls & Marsh harrier,
Butterflies were, Meadow brown, Ringlet, Large & Small skippers, Small tortoiseshell, Gatekeeper, Marbled white, Comma & Painted lady,
Red & White-tailed bumblebees were about,
Dragonfly wise, Emperor dragonfly, 4 Spot chaser, Black-tailed skimmer, Common darter, Common blue & Blue-tailed damselflies were flying







Blackcap along Dryham Lane, with thanks to Mike Ashforth
Posted By: Barry on 7/11/2019 4:42:22 PM

Tuesday 9th July 2019

Today a juvenile Cuckoo was seen on the telegraph wires at the end of Dryham Ings,
Also seen was 2 Green sandpipers (Cell 'C'), Cetti's warbler, Garden warbler, 5 Little egrets, Green woodpecker juvenile & the Common tern chicks flying





Song thrush on Dryham Lane, with thanks to Mike Ashforth
Posted By: Barry on 7/2/2019 7:22:37 PM

Monday 8th July 2019

The drake Mandarin was on Cell 'C' this evening, along with a Snipe,
Also seen was Marsh harrier & Barn owl,
The first Gatekeper of the year was present today
Posted By: Barry on 7/2/2019 7:20:48 PM

Sunday 7th July 2019

In the evening, there were 9 mobile Black-tailed godwits, 2 Little ringed plovers, Hobby, 16+ Little egrets roosting & Tufted duck family with 9 ducklings on the Reed-bed,
Also seen today, was Barn owl, 2 juvenile Bearded tits (Reed-bed), pair of Bullfinches, 7 juvenile Common terns (Cell 'A'), 3 Green sandpipers, 2 Marsh harriers, Kingfisher (Reed-bed), 7 Mediterranean gulls, the adult & juvenile Redshanks, a Wigeon & Yellowhammer,
Butterflies included Ringlet, Meadow brown, Marbled white, Speckled wood, Green-veined white, Small skipper & Painted lady,
Dragonflies were Emperor dragonfly, 4 Spot chaser, Brown hawker, Common blue, Blue-tailed, Emerald & Small red-eyed damselflies.
Posted By: Barry on 7/2/2019 7:20:34 PM

Saturday 6th July 2019

A Wood sandpiper was on the Reed-bed this morning,
9 Mediterranean gulls were on Cell 'A', including 3 adults, 2 second, 3 first summers & the juvenile. One of these birds was ringed in Holland in 2017, with 14 birds being seen on the reserve,
A Kingfisher was on Cell 'A',
Also seen was a Black-tailed godwit (Island Lake), 2 Little ringed plovers, Hobby, Corn bunting & at least 6 Avocets

Posted By: Barry on 7/2/2019 7:20:18 PM

Friday 5th July 2019

Just a single Black-tailed godwit was on Cell 'A' today,
There was 8 plus Mediterranean gulls (5 adults, 2 Second summers, a first summer & juvenile bird),
Also seen was Cetti's warbler, littel owl, Peregrine, Marsh harrier, Tawny owl, Kingfisher, Green sandpiper, Garden warbler, Corn bunting, 2 juvenile Bearded tits, 2 juvenile Redshank, Oystercatcher & Yellowhammer,
Ringlet, Small skipper, Emperor, dragonfly, 4 Spot chaser, Common darter, Common blue & Blue-tailed damselflies were also about
Posted By: Barry on 7/2/2019 7:20:03 PM

Thursday 4th July 2019

6 Mediterranean gulls were on Cell’C’ this evening 15 Black-tailed godwits (in groups of 3,4, & 5) were mobile around the reserve, with 5 later flying off north & 7 alighting on the Island Lake, Also seen was Barn owl, Peregrine, Marsh harrier, Redshank & 3 Little Ringed plover. Emperor dragonfly was also seen.
Posted By: Barry on 7/2/2019 7:19:40 PM