Recent sightings (11-14th August)
Male Blackcap c. Russ Myners
British Steel Hide
The spectacular big spring tides over the last few days have pushed well over a thousand birds off the estuary and onto the banks around the saline lagoons, to roost away from sources of human disturbance. In terms of wading birds we counted 482 Curlew, 638 Black-tailed Godwit, 174 Redshank, 52 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank, 56 Lapwing, a juvenile Ruff, a Whimbrel, 3 Common Sandpipers, and a small number of Knot and Dunlin. On Monday morning they were all flushed off the lagoons by a huge juvenile Goshawk. Two Spoonbill have regularly been seen on the banks of the lagoons over the last few days.
Elsewhere around the grounds and saltmarsh we’ve seen plenty of hirundines hunting on insects, and a late swift. Also a Willow Warbler, Whitethroat and a handful of singing Chiffchaffs.
Millennium Wetlands
Wildfowl movements have resulted in increasing numbers of Gadwall, Teal, Shoveler and Coot on Deep Water Lake, and a Kingfisher has made a few fleeting visits, generally spotted from the Sir Peter Scott Hide. Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers are being seen regularly.
A Holly Blue butterfly was seen in the meadow near the Heron’s Wing Hide on Monday – our first for the year. There are still plenty of other butterflies feeding on the colourful patches of Fleabane, Hemp Agrimony, Purple Loosestrife and Great Willowherb. Small Red-eyed Damselflies are still around, seen from the fishing platforms or Sir Peter Scott Hide.
