Winter Wildlife 2011-12
The Bitterns remained regular visitors with 3 birds in the reserve in December. Many people had fantastic views of these normally secretive birds as they crept around close to the Pyle Hide. Also in December there was a spectacular “murmuration” of Starlings as thousands of birds gathered in the evenings to roost in the reedbed.
After one of the mildest Decembers on record, numbers of wildfowl started to build up, with peak winter counts of Wigeon (194), Teal (42), Gadwall (16), Shoveler (7) and Coot (52). There were also sightings of Goosander and Goldeneye. Snipe, Woodcock and Water Rail were occasionally seen, as were flocks of Siskin. Uncommon winter sightings included a Peregrine hunting over the reserve and 4 White-fronted Geese.
During the cold spell at the end of January, flocks of small birds descended on the feeding station and were eating the food so quickly that Paul the warden had a job to keep the feeders stocked! It was fascinating watching the constant coming and going of tits, finches and thrushes and there were fantastic views of Great Spotted Woodpecker and Nuthatch.
Other visitors included Roe Deer, Badger, Hedgehog and a black Rabbit. A big thank you to everyone who donated money and food to keep the feeding station going.
Two foxes were seen hunting on the frozen lake and the Bitterns took to roosting in trees to avoid them. Good numbers of Roe Deer were seen, often in the fields threatened by development. Trail cameras set up on the edge of the reserve recorded night-time images of Badger, Fox and Weasel and small mammal traps helped to record Woodmice and Bank Vole. Otters and Red Squirrels were less obvious after the autumn but still seen regularly.
As we go to print spring is nearly upon us. Grey Herons have returned to their heronry in the Scots Pines, woodpeckers are drumming and yaffling and frogs are on the move. Once again we cross our fingers that we might hear Bitterns booming.
Autumn 2011
A Barn Owl at the end of August was a welcome sighting after so many died in last year’s hard winter. Passage migrants in September included a Marsh Harrier and Spotted Flycatcher and a mild autumn saw a slow but steady return of winter wildfowl to the reserve with peak counts of Wigeon (71) and Shoveler (10) towards the end of November. It would seem that the 2 Bitterns present last winter have returned and been joined by a 3rd bird. As a result there have been plenty of sightings and they have on occaison performed in front of the hides for photographers. We have been sent some fantastic pictures, such as this one from Paul McMullen.
Kingfisher, Water Rail, Green Woodpecker and Red Squirrel have all been seen well along with the occasional Otter, including one that swam under the hide on two separate dates for the lucky Philip Jordan! Snipe, Jack Snipe and Little Egret have all been reported as well as flocks of Pink-Footed Geese passing overhead. A large flock of starlings has impressed those people waiting until dusk to watch them come to roost in the reedbed.
The new feeding station has been a hit with wildlife and photographers. Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Nuthatches, Treecreepers, 3 species of tits and finches have all been enjoying the food put out for them, as has the occasional Badger and Bank Vole.
Spring-Summer 2011
A yaffling Green Woodpecker marked the start of spring in March. The dry, sunny weather saw butterflies and bats on the wing whilst Whooper Swans were still present. The first Chiffchaff was heard on 23rd March and House Martins were early on 30th as was a Reed Warbler on 10th April, followed by a Grasshopper Warbler on 17th. A striking pair of Garganey gave great views for 10 days from the 25th March. A male Marsh Harrier passed through on 3rd April and a female on the 9th May and a Hobby hunted over the reserve on several dates during May-July.
TV presenters Chris Packham and Martin Hughes-Games from BBC Springwatch visited the reserve in May. They filmed lovely green ferns, Coral Root Orchid and a roost of 70 Noctule Bats heading out for the night. The footage was aired in the last show of the series on June 16th. Chris Packham was particularly delighted with the rare Coral Root Orchid which has had another great year with over 468 spikes counted, making it the second largest colony in England.
Nine common terns fought amongst themselves for breeding rights before 4 pairs settled down to nest. In mid-May an adult sitting on eggs was attacked, killed and eaten by a Magpie. Three pairs went on to hatch 4 young and it seemed almost too good to be true when the first nestling flew from the platform at the end of July. Unfortunately it was. The bird was too inexperienced at flying to get back onto the wire covered platform and the Coots refused to allow it to land on their island and so the young Tern drowned. Paul Drummond waded out into the lake to add a temporary island and remove the wire from the front of the raft. This did the trick and the remaining 3 young terns have fledged.
Once again Sand Martins declined to use their specially built nest box but it was put to good use by a pair of Blue Tits. Sparrowhawks reared young amongst Geoff Lawrence’s nest boxes. They were feasting on Tits like fast food and unsurprisingly the surrounding boxes were unsuccessful but most of the other boxes on the reserve fared well. Numbers of resident birds appeared to be down due to the hard winter but it seemed to be a good breeding year with most species seen with young, including Grey Heron, Water Rail and Reed Warbler. Up to 4 Buzzards were seen all spring but they didn’t breed on the reserve and we have no evidence yet that they nested nearby. Fox, Badger and Roe Deer were all seen with young and it was a good year for Voles as Veronica Carnell trapped and released 10 at the start of July.
It has been an excellent year at the reserve for butterflies with 15 species seen, including the second reserve records of Purple Hairstreak and White-Letter Hairstreak. Tree Bumblebees (Bombus hypnorum) found by Paul Drummond were a new species for the reserve (pictured). This bee appears to be colonising the UK as a result of climate change. It was first recorded in the New Forest in 2001 and in Northumberland in 2007. Oak Bush-Cricket first found on the reserve in 2009 seems to be establishing itself with several records this year. A new micro moth species for the reserve was caught by Tom Tams in July, Cryptoblabes bistrigia, this is only the second record for the County.
The pair of Kingfishers left at the end of March to find a breeding site and what may have been their young began to delight photographers again in July. Bitterns disappeared at the end of February and so another spring passed without their booming call. One has been seen again regularly since June and could often be located in the reeds by the Terns dive bombing it.
Winter Wildlife 2010-11
The extremely cold and snowy weather that arrived in December made the reserve look very picturesque. It also had a huge impact on wildlife, with birds arriving from the continent and others fleeing our region. Wildlife became easier to see as the lake froze over, vegetation was flattened and they became desperate in their search for food to survive.
Winter thrushes arrived with sightings of Redwing and Fieldfare and flocks of finches and tits built up with double figure counts of Blue, Great and Long-Tailed Tits and several sightings of Lesser Redpoll and Siskin. A spectacular sight in November was a swirling pre-roost flock of 2,000 Starlings. Four Woodcock and 30 Waxwings at the end of January were part of big influxes from the continent.
Bittern were seen well and regularly all winter with 2 on several occasions. With other Bitterns present in the north-east over the period we have our fingers crossed that we might hear booming this spring.
Wigeon and Teal peaked at 150+ and 100+ respectively and there were sightings of Goldeneye, Goosander, Whooper Swan and a skein of Pink-Footed Geese passing over.
Up to 30 Roe Deer were well watched and one was even seen chasing a Fox. Several Red Squirrels were recorded but worryingly so were Greys. Predators were drawn to the build up of food and there were sightings of Otter, Weasel, Stoat, Fox and Badger and the resident Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and Buzzard were joined by a Peregrine in January. A feature of the winter was the fantastic views of wildlife that visitors reported; ‘best view ever’ was a common phrase. This was great news for photographers and we have been sent some excellent shots, including this Otter by Gary Roseby.
