10 members started at the car park on an overcast and windy day viewing the main bay. Lots of Swifts filled the air over the lake and trees along with House Martins, Sand Martins and Swallows over the lake. Swimming on the lake we saw Great Crested Grebes, Gadwall, Shovelers, Shelducks, Mallard, Tufted Ducks, Greylag and Canada Geese and Black-headed Gulls. In the reed bed and bushes there were Reed Buntings, a Sedge Warbler, Robin, Blackbird and a Song Thrush singing. Over the hillside a Buzzard caught the attention of the local Jackdaws.
From the visitor centre the walk through the wood gave us a Whitethroat, Chiffchaff and a Wren singing, a Bullfinch calling, a juvenile Robin and three Treecreepers. From the screen looking over a pool and reed bed we saw a Gadwall, Reed Warbler and a Reed Bunting. A Kingfisher perched briefly before flying off.
At the next pool on the Coal Tip track we saw two Willow Warblers. On the water were a pair of Tufted Ducks, a Moorhen and a Canada Goose. A Red Kite was overhead and a pair of Magpies were on the shoreline.
At the next pool at the top of the Coal Tip track there were 15 Pochards, Reed Buntings, Coot, and a Mute Swan and a Cormorant, Common Tern and a Lapwing flying over. At the next pool there were a pair of displaying Great Crested Grebes, a Little Grebe, six more Pochards and a pair of Gadwall. The vast majority of Pochards on the reserve are drakes. Along the path we looked over to the heronry. Four Spoonbills were visible, four Grey Herons were sat on nests and two Little Egrets flew in. The third pool had 12 Pochard, two Little Grebes and Coots. A pair of Mute Swans had a nest in the reed bed. A Water Rail was heard calling along with a Cuckoo. We then returned to the car park for our lunch before heading to Lin Dike.
At Lin Dike we had good views of two Cattle Egrets with the Highland Cattle. Along the path we heard Blackcaps, a Skylark, two Cetti’s Warblers, Whitethroat, Wrens, Chiffchaff and Robins. From the screen overlooking Spoonbill Flash we saw two Little-ringed Plovers, a Redshank a Common Sandpiper and six Avocets. A single Pink-footed Goose was with a small number Greylag and Canada Geese. Wildfowl include two Teal, six Shelducks, Gadwall, Shoveler, Mallard and three Mute Swans. Two Lesser Black-backed Gulls were resting on the small island. On our return to the cars we saw two Pheasants in the field and there were now four Cattle Egrets showing well feeding amongst the cattle.
We finished at 4.00 with a total of 61 species, one more than last year.
It wasn’t a good a good day for butterflies but we did see a Painted Lady, a Green-veined White, a Red Admiral and several Orange Tips.
Mike Smithson
