News

Tuesday 20th May 2025

At least 22 Avocet chicks were on East Holm, with a pair of Wigeon present,
There were 4 Mute cygnets on the Village lake, with 7 in the New workings,
2 Hobbies were feeding over the reserve in the mid-afternoon,
Finally a Garden warbler was singing by the Carp lake
Butterflies - Large skipper, Brimstone
Dragonflies - Black-tailed skimmer, 4 Spot chaser, Common blue damselfly


Drake Shoveler on the Reed-bed
Posted By: BJNcw on 5/20/2025 6:31:02 PM

Monday 19th May 2025

2 Spotted flycatchers were by the Viewing platform from the midday onwards,
There was a Dunlin on East Holm, with at least 12 Avocet chicks seen (including one on the Silt pond),
Also seen was a Grey partridge in the North field, 2 Eygptian geese (Crossland's lake), Cuckoo heard nearby the North field, Red kite & Garden warbler along the Silt pond,
Bumblebees - Common carder, Tree & Early bumblebees
Dragonflies - 4 Spot chaser, Azure, Blue-tailed & Common blue damselflies


Little ringed plover on East Holm
Posted By: BJNcw on 5/19/2025 4:24:19 PM

Sunday 18th May 2025

2 Little terns were briefly seen above Crossland's lake, just after midday,
2 Cattle egrets were seen east of Crossland's hide,
The 2nd summer Little gull again showed itself about East Holm & Crossland's lake,
At least 14 Avocet chicks were counted today, included 2 on the Silt pond,
A Raven was seen to fly to the north,
Also seen was Barn owl (Maize field), 2 Common sandpipers, Cuckoo (by Main lake), Corn bunting (North field), Red kite, Wheatear (by the Silt pond), 2 Yellow wagtails, Black-tailed godwit, Garden warbler (Carp lake) & Marsh harrier
Butterflies - Green-veined white
Bumblebees - Common carder bumblebee
Dragonflies - Azure, Blue-tailed & Common blue damselflies


The Crossland's lake Oystercatcher chicks swimming from one of the islands
Posted By: BJNcw on 5/18/2025 5:31:59 PM

Saturday 17th May 2025

A Redwing was seen in the company of 2 Song thrushes on the West path in the early morning,
The 2nd summer Little gull was seen again over Crossland's lake & East Holm,
Also on East Holm, a Dunlin & Greenshank were present,
A total of 8 Oystercatcher chicks, from 4 parents were counted today (Village  & Crossland's lakes, West Holm & New workings),
Also seen was Cuckoo, Corn bunting (North field), Barn owl (West End), Marsh harrier, Red kite, 4 Eygptian geese (Crossland's lake), 3 drakes & a female Pochard (West Holm), Red kite, 2 Mistle thrushes (West End) & Little owl
Bumblebees - Common carder & Garden bumblebees,
Butterflies - Peacock, Orange tip, Small skipper
Dragonflies - Azure, Blue-tailed & Common blue damselflies


Avocet pair & chick on the shore of East Holm
Posted By: BJNcw on 5/17/2025 5:39:41 PM

Friday 16th May 2025

Yesterday's Temminck's stint was still on East Holm, along with a Dunlin, Greenshank (also seen on Village lake), plus 11 Avocet chicks,
On Crossland's lake, yesterday's Little gull returned in the late morning, here 3 Eygptian geese were also seen,
A Raven flew north over West Holm, with 2 Cuckoos about the reserve,
2 new Oystercatcher families were seen (single chick on West Holm & 3 in New workings),
Bumblebees - Common carder & Early bumblebee,
Butterflies - Red admiral, Orange tip, Green-veined & Large whites,
Dragonflies - Hairy dragonfly, 4 Spot chaser, Azure, Blue-tailed, Common blue & Large red damselflies


Little gull over Crossland's lake
Posted By: BJNcw on 5/16/2025 4:48:27 PM

Thursday 15th May 2025

On East Holm, in the morning, there were 4 brief Turnstones, plus 2 Dunlins & 2 Common sandpipers, with a Temminck's stint & a 2nd year Little gull there in the afternoon,
The Greenshank was on the Village lake, a circling Whimbrel over the reserve entrance, with 2 Eygptian geese flying east over Crossland's lake, plus 4 Marsh harriers seen over Cell 'C', Red kite
Dragonflies - Azure & Common damselflies


Avocet landing on East Holm
Posted By: BJNcw on 5/15/2025 5:01:25 PM

Wednesday 14th May 2025

Today, a Greenshank & Common sandpiper were on the Village lake, with 8+ Little ringed plovers on East Holm,
5 Eygptian geese (3 Village lake & 2 East Holm) were also present,
Also seen was circling Peregrine (over Cell 'A' & Carp lake), Hobby & singing Corn bunting (North field)
Bumblebees - Common carder bumblebee,
Butterflies - Red admiral, Green-veined & Large whites
Dragonflies - 4 Spot chaser, Black-tailed skimmer, Broad-bodied chaser, Common blue, Large red & Azure damselflies


Oystercatcher & chick on Crossland's lake shore
Posted By: BJNcw on 5/14/2025 5:24:25 PM

Tuesday 13th May 2025

There was a Greenshank (Village lake & East Holm), plus a Redshank (West Holm) & 8+ Little ringed plovers
10 Avocet chicks were still there on East Holm, with the 3 Oystercatcher chicks on Crossland's lake,
The Great white egret was on Cell 'A', with 2 Cuckoos (Far lake & south of the Silt pond, Peregrine Cell 'A', Barn owl (West End early morning)
Butterflies - Red admiral
Dragonflies - 4 Spot chaser, Broad-bodied chaser, Azure, Common blue & Large red damselflies,
Bumblebees - Common carder bumblebee


Shelduck pair by Dryham farm
Posted By: BJNcw on 5/13/2025 5:58:55 PM

Monday 12th May 2025

A drake Garganey spent the day on the Village lake,
There were 10 Avocet chicks (4, 3, 3) on East Holm, with 7 pairs still sitting,
A Common sandpiper was on the Island lake, with the Greenshank being seen on the Silt pond,
Also seen was a Hobby, Great white egret (Cell 'A'), pair of Eygptian geese, Marsh harrier, Little owl, Yellow wagtail, Red kite, 3 Whimbrel (East Holm) & calling Cuckoo at several points of the reserve
Bumblebees - Common carder, Early & Garden bumblebees
Butterfly count - 6 Orange tip (including a female), 4 Wall, 2 Peacock, Common blue & Peacock, plus single Green-veined & Large whites,
Dragonflies - Female Broad-bodied chaser, 4 Spot chaser, Hairy dragonfly, Azure, Blue-tailed, Common blue & Variable damselflies.


Black headed gull chasing a Common tern over East Holm
Posted By: BJNcw on 5/12/2025 5:06:16 PM

Sunday 11th May 2025

This morning, there was 2 Whooper swans on Crossland's lake,
The Greenshank was still on the Village lake, with the Great white egret nearby on the Reed-bed & Cell 'A',
There have are 8 Avocets currently sitting, with the first family of 4 appearing on East Holm this evening,
A Wheatear was seen on the southern bridleway in the New workings,
Also seen was Cuckoo & Barn owl (both in the New workings), Hobby, Coal tit & Treecreeper,
Bumblebees - Garden bumblebees,
Butterflies - Common blue, Orange tip, Large white
Dragonflies - 4 Spot chaser, Azure, Blue-tailed, Common blue & Large red damselflies


Singing Whitethroat by the Maize field
Posted By: BJNcw on 5/11/2025 5:15:30 PM

Saturday 10th May 2025

On the Village lake, there was a Greenshank & Common sandpiper, with 2 Redshanks on the Reed-bed,
The Great white egret was seen on the Reed-bed & Cell 'A',
Also seen was Marsh harrier, Peregrine, Red kite, Little owl, Bearded tit (heard in Cell 'C'), Barn owl, Corn bunting (North path), 2+ Cuckoos, Garden warbler (East path), 2 Hobbies, pair of Eygptian geese (West Holm) & Grey partridge (West End),
Bumblebees - Common carder bumblebee,
Butterflies - Orange tip (including a female), Wall, Brimstone, Green-veined & Large whites & Speckled wood,
Dragonflies - Hairy dragonfly, 4 Spot chaser, Azure, Blue-tailed, Common blue, Large red & Red-eyed damselflies


Reed warbler in the Crossland's lake reed-beds
Posted By: BJNcw on 5/10/2025 5:46:33 PM

Friday 9th May 2025

On East Holm today, there was a Curlew & Whimbrel, plus 2 each of Ringed plover & Common sandpiper,
Greenshank & Common sandpiper were seen on the Village lake,
The first Black headed gull chicks were on West Holm,
Also seen was up to 5 Hobby, Barn owl (New workings in the morning), Marsh harrier, Red kite, 8 Little egrets, 2 Eygptian geese (East Holm), 2 singing |Corn buntings, Bearded tits (Cell 'C'), 4 Bitterns in flight, Little owl & Yellow wagtail,
Butterflies - Brimstone, Orange tip, Wall, Brown argus, Common blue, Peacock, Green-veined & Large whites,
Dragonflies - 4 Spot chaser, Hairy dragonfly, Azure, Blue-tailed, Common blue & Variable damselflies
Posted By: BJNcw on 5/9/2025 3:38:55 PM

Thursday 8th May 2025

An Osprey flew north west over the Silt pond in the late afternoon,
A Greenshank & Common sandpiper were on the Village lake, with an Oystercatcher & 3 chicks on Crossland's lake,
The Cuckoo was again vigorously calling at several spots,
Also seen was Great white egret (Cell 'A'), Marsh harrier, Eygptian goose, singing Garden warbler (East path), singing Corn bunting (North hedge), Yellow wagtail (North field) & Peregrine (over Cell 'A')


Oystercatcher & 3 chicks on Crossland's lake
Posted By: BJNcw on 5/8/2025 6:14:56 PM

Wednesday 7th May 2025

The drake Mandarin was briefly on the Village lake in the early morning,
A Raven was seen flying high to the west of the Dennis Wood's hide,
The pair of Eygptian geese were seen on West Holm,
2 Cuckoos were seen at various locations around the reserve,
Also seen was 2 Barn owls (New workings), Hobby, Common sandpiper (Village lake), Yellow wagtail (North field) & singing Garden warbler
Butterflies - Orange tip
Dragonflies - Azure, Blue-tailed & Common blue damselflies
Bumblebees - Common carder & Tree bumblebees


Yellowhammer singing in the New workings
Posted By: BJNcw on 5/7/2025 6:02:56 PM

Tuesday 6th May 2025

There were 2 mobile Cuckoos about the reserve,
2+ Bearded tits were heard in Cell 'C',
2 Hobbies were feeding over the reserve,
An Oystercatcher pair with 4 young were seen,
Also seen was Barn owl, 8+ Common terns (East Holm), a pair of Eygptian geese, Greenshank (East Holm), 2 Garden warblers along Dryham lane, a Great white egret (Cell 'A'), Little owl, Marsh harrier, Mediterranean gull, Red kite & Yellow wagtail
Butterflies - Green-veined white, Small copper, Common blue, Wall,
Dragonflies - 4 Spot chaser, Blue-tailed damselfly


Cuckoo over the Reed-bed
Posted By: BJNcw on 5/6/2025 6:18:14 PM