Cress Marsh 2021

Nick,
The GWE seems to have been quite mobile when on-site. Yesterday when I saw it, it was on the island at the very back of the lagoon. I have noticed that this island also seems to be favoured by Grey Herons. Other observers have noted the GWE out on the "Field Scrapes", however, if it has decided to use the scrape that runs along the side of the site by the railway line there is a good chance of not seeing it - we "lost" a Spoonbill on that scrape a month or two ago!

Visited today for an hour. Quiet really, but it was very warm and the usual breeze into your face had returned. Hardly any gulls, the only ones being a few black heads with juveniles. The only other lagoon scrape inhabitants being Lapwings and their rather larger chicks now.  Plenty of little egrets, but no sign of the Great.
Highlight of the hour was ten minutes of the Peregrine giving an amazing aerial display over the site, swooping in and taking lots flak from the Lapwings/blackheads. It managed to snatch something from behind the hide toward the pylons, but I didn't have these windows open and only saw it heading back across the site toward the power station with something in its talons.
As Jon says, the scrapes are quite arid now, with a lot of green algae at the margins. Main lagoon looking quite weedy and dry around perimeter, so would benefit from a bit of help.

Incidentally, I cycle marshalled the GY 10k on Sunday and while going down the Peaks Parkway stretch I spied Rachel Graham wading through the grass verges. She was holding a file/note book and carrying a camera. I stopped and she remembered me from Cress. She was using the 10k road traffic closure time to monitor/check how the wildflower project was going along the main verges. Documenting what flowers had grown and what insects etc she could find. 

Water levels on site are low. Some of the scrapes are now dry, whilst some still retain water with areas of damp mud around the edges. The lagoon is still fully flooded with the water level being approx a couple of feet lower than during Winter.

how are the water levels now Jon ?

regards John

18th July
Weather: Sunny, hot, ENE breeze
Time on site: 18:50-20:00

Black-headed Gull    12
Black-tailed Godwit    15  
Buzzard    2
Carrion Crow    2
Golden Plover    1
Great White Egret    1  - bird has been on site since 12th July.
Grey Heron    5
Greylag Goose    24
Herring Gull    17
Kestrel    1
Lapwing    17
Little Egret    6
Little Grebe    3
Mallard    1
Meadow Pipit    1
Mute Swan    5
Pheasant    3
Sedge Warbler    1
Skylark    1
Starling    1
Tufted Duck    1
Whitethroat    2
Woodpigeon    3

Butterflies:
Large White  1
Meadow Brown  4

All records entered into BirdTrack (birds) and iRecord Butterflies.

11th July
Weather: Overcast, warm, S wind
Time on site: 12:05 - 13:15

Black-headed Gull    11
Carrion Crow    1
Goldfinch    1
Green Sandpiper    2
Grey Heron    2
Greylag Goose    19
Herring Gull    17
Lapwing    13
Lesser Black-backed Gull    4
Little Egret    11
Little Grebe    3
Little Ringed Plover    1
Magpie    1
Mute Swan    8
Oystercatcher    2
Pheasant    1
Pied Wagtail    2
Shelduck    2
Skylark    1
Tufted Duck    3
Whitethroat    1
Woodpigeon    3
Yellowhammer    1

All records entered into BirdTrack.