Cress Marsh 2022

10th July
Weather: Sunny, hot, light Easterly wind
Time on site: 14:45-17:00

A visit to a very warm Cress Marsh this afternoon found the site to be quiet, with only 17 species of bird recorded:

Buzzard    1 - soaring over the site
Canada Goose    2 - on one of the islands in the lagoon
Goldfinch    4 - along the path to the hide
Grey Heron    2 - one on one of the islands in the lagoon, the other was on the "Field Scrapes" area of site
Greylag Goose    18 - all on the "Field Scrapes"
Herring Gull    4 - all on the "Field Scrapes"
Kestrel    3 - one adult and 2 juveniles which I suspect fledged from a nest box on a neighbouring factory.  All the birds were seen over the "Field Scrapes"
Lapwing    7 - all seen around the lagoon
Lesser Black-backed Gull    1 - on the "Field Scrapes"
Linnet    2 - feeding on the lagoon bank
Little Egret    4 - one in the lagoon and three on the "Field Scrapes" 
Mute Swan    6 - two on the lagoon and four on the "Field Scrapes"
Peregrine    1 - seen perched on one of the Power Station's chimney stacks
Pied Wagtail    3 - all seen around the lagoon
Shelduck    3 - all on the lagoon
Yellow Wagtail    1 - seen feeding on the lagoon shore in front of the hide.
Yellowhammer    2 - both seen perched in a Hawthorn bush, next to the path to the hide

Roe Deer    3 - Male, Female and juvenile all on one of the islands in the lagoon

Butterflies (all seen along the path to the hide):

Gatekeeper    1
Large White    4
Meadow Brown    8
Ringlet    2
Small Skipper    4
Small Tortoiseshell    2
Small White    1

3rd July
Weather: Overcast with sunny intervals, warm, W wind
Time on site: 12:55-15:00

This afternoon's visit found the number of Black-tailed Godwit to be down when compared to reports received during the past week, A good number of butterflies were seen on the wing along the path to the hide.

Black-headed Gull    2 - both on the lagoon
Black-tailed Godwit    72 - all in the lagoon
Blackbird    1
Buzzard    1 - soaring over the "Field Scrapes" area of the site
Canada Goose    5 - all on the lagoon
Carrion Crow    2
Cetti's Warbler    1 - heard singing from scrub on the boundary of the site, along side the railway line
Gadwall    8 - all on the lagoon
Goldfinch    4 
Green Sandpiper    2 - both on the bank in the corner of the lagoon
Grey Heron    2 - one in the lagoon, one flushed from the ditch that runs parallel to the path to the hide
Greylag Goose    8 - six on the "Field Scrapes" and two on the lagoon
Herring Gull    1
Kestrel    1 - over the "Field Scrapes" area
Lapwing    11 - eight on muddy areas in the lagoon and three in the "Field Scrapes" area
Lesser Black-backed Gull    4
Linnet    7
Little Egret    6 - three on the "Field Scrapes", one in the lagoon and two on the "Hide Scrapes"
Little Grebe    3 - all on the lagoon
Little Ringed Plover    6 - two adults and four juveniles all on the shore of one of the islands in the lagoon
Magpie    1
Mallard    5 - one on the "Field Scrapes". One adult and 3 juveniles on the lagoon
Mute Swan    9 - three on the "Field Scrapes" and six on the lagoon
Oystercatcher    1 - on one of the islands in the lagoon
Pheasant    2
Pied Wagtail    5
Sedge Warbler    1 - singing from reed in ditch next to path to the hide
Shelduck    2 - both on the lagoon
Skylark    5 - three singing over site and 2 juveniles seen on the lagoon bank
Swallow    1 - over the lagoon
Woodpigeon    75 - perched on power lines behind the site
Yellowhammer    1 - singing from atop of a Hawthorn bush, along the path to the hide
Roe Deer    1 - male seen on the "Field Scrapes" area of site

Butterflies - all seen along the path to the hibe:

Gatekeeper    8
Large Skipper    2
Large White    5
Meadow Brown    28
Painted Lady    2
Ringlet    16
Small Heath    4
Small Skipper    6
Small Tortoiseshell    6
Small White    3

 

26th June
Weather: Sunny, warm, strong S wind
Time on site: 13:30-15:30

The water levels on site are still very low, with the areas of mud showing in the lagoon and the majority of the scrapes dry. The current water levels in the lagoon seem to really suit Black-tailed Godwit. Lets hope that they can be maintained!

This afternoon's visit found the following present:

Black-headed Gull    5 - one on the "Field Scrapes" and four on the lagoon
Black-tailed Godwit    152 - all on the lagoon
Buzzard    1 - soaring over the "Pylon Scrapes"
Canada Goose    5 - all on the lagoon
Carrion Crow    3 - all on the "Field Scrapes" area of site
Great Black-backed Gull    1 - on the lagoon
Grey Heron    3 - two at the back of the lagoon and one, which didn't appear to be too well, was on the "Pylon Scrapes".
Greylag Goose    13 - four on the "Field Scrapes" and nine on the lagoon
Herring Gull    60 - fifty on the "Field Scrapes" and ten on the lagoon
Lapwing    5 - four on the "Field Scrapes" area and one on one of the islands in the lagoon
Lesser Black-backed Gull    25 - five on the lagoon and twenty on the "Field Scrapes"
Linnet    4 - feeding on the lagoon bank
Little Egret    1 - feeding on the "Pylon Scrapes"
Little Grebe    4 - all on the lagoon
Little Ringed Plover    3 - two on one of the islands in the lagoon and one on the "Field Scrapes" area of site
Magpie    3 - all on the "Field Scrapes" area
Mallard    2 - both on the "Field Scrapes"
Mute Swan    10 - one on the "Pylon Scrapes", four on the "Pylon SCrapes and five on the lagoon
Pheasant    2
Pied Wagtail    4 - all on the lagoon bank
Shelduck    2 - both on the lagoon
Skylark    2 - singing over the site
Stock Dove    1 - on the lagoon bank
Swallow    3 - feeding over the "Field Scrapes" area
Woodpigeon    10

Moths and Butterflies (all seen along the path to the hide):

Five Spot Burnet    3
Meadow Brown    8
Ringlet    4
Small Skipper    2
Small Tortoiseshell    6

 

The numbers keep climbing. 150+ BTGs today, making a hell of a racket too.

Following on from Jon's report and the 11 Blackwits, the day after during my visit (along with Geoff & wife) we counted 22 Blackwits. Hopefully a trend... if the lagoon level holds up.

18th June 
Weather: Overcast, warm, NW breeze
Time on site: 09:05-11:15

Apologies for the late posting of what I recorded whilst visiting  the site yesterday morning. It was nice to see some Black-tailed Godwit feeding in the now, very shallow lagoon. These are first Godwit I have recorded on site for a very long time!

Black-headed Gull    7 - six on the lagoon and one on the "Pylon Scrapes" area of site
Black-tailed Godwit    11 - all feeding in the lagoon
Blackbird    1
Buzzard    1 - soaring over the site
Canada Goose    4 - all on one of the islands in the lagoon
Carrion Crow    5 - various locations around the site. A juvenile was observed being fed by an adult on the lagoon bank. 
Chiffchaff    1 - heard singing from the hedge that borders the site, next to the railway line
Common Gull    1 - on the lagoon
Gadwall    3 - all on the lagoon
Grey Heron    2 - both on the "Field Scrapes" area of site
Greylag Goose    4 - two were on one of the islands in the lagoon and two were on the "Field Scrapes" area of site
Herring Gull    8 - two on the lagoon and six on the "Field Scrapes"
Kestrel    1 - hunting over the "Field Scrapes" area
Lapwing    10 - Five on the "Field Scrapes" area, one on the "Pylon Scrapes" area and four at various positions around the lagoon bank
Lesser Black-backed Gull    6 - Four on the "Field Scrapes" and two on the lagoon
Little Egret    2 - both feeding in the lagoon
Little Grebe    4 - all on the lagoon
Little Ringed Plover    1 - seen on one of the islands in the lagoon before it flew to feed on the lagoon bank
Magpie    3
Mallard    9 - Seven on the lagoon (three adults and four juveniles) and two on the "Field Scrapes"
Mute Swan    16 - Five on the "Field Scrapes", one on the "Pylon Scrapes" and ten on the lagoon
Oystercatcher    1 - on one of the islands in the lagoon
Pheasant    1
Pied Wagtail    3
Reed Warbler    1 - heard singing from cover in the ditch that runs parallel to the main path to the hide
Sedge Warbler    2 - heard singing from cover in the ditch that runs parallel to the main path to the hide. They were on the section between the car park and the right hand corner of the path.
Shelduck    15 - fourteen on the "Field Scrapes" and one on the lagoon
Skylark    3 - all singing over the site
Song Thrush    1 - singing from the trees by the car park
Stock Dove    2 - two on the "Field Scrapes" area
Tufted Duck    4 - three on the lagoon and one on the "Field Scrapes" 
Wood Pigeon    35 - twenty-three on the "Pylon Scrapes" area and thirteen on the "Field Scrapes" area

Roe Deer    1 - female on the "Field Scrapes" area of site

Butterflies : several Meadow Brown and Small Tortoiseshell seen on foliage adjacent to the main path to the hide.