December 2019

There is a new Bird Checklist on the way. It should be on the counter on January 1st for our New Year's Day Ice Breaker event.

Heronry Lakes are back to normal winter levels or perhaps deeper with all the small islands submerged and most of the wildfowl have left.

December 4th: Otter on Heronry South. Robin, bullfinch, redwings, blackbirds, goldcrest, g-s woodpecker, chaffinch, sparrow hawk, goldfinches. Muntjac x 2. (JAS)

December 8th: Sparrow hawk, goldeneye ad green sandpiper on Island Pit + GREAT EGRET x 2.

Green sandpiper, great white egret, gadwall x 44, tufted duck x 92, wigeon x 157, shoveler x 4, goldeneye x 12, coot x 18, g-c grebe x 8, common gull x 8, b-h gull x 395, water rail, mute swan x 79, cormorant x 10, wood pigeon, blue tit, mallard x 19, moorhen x 7, great tit, chaffinch, blackbird, dunnock, crow, robin, pied wagtail, greenfinch, goldfinch, wren, magpie, buzzard, greylag geese x 100, yellowhammer x 9, reed bunting x 2, linnet x 80, Canada goose, green woodpecker, l-t tit, song thrush, redwing. (Terry Brown)

Why not be like Terry and send us your sightings?

December 15th: Great white egret and goldeneyes on Island Pit. Kingfisher at Bill's Bench. Stoat, bullfinch and treecreeper on the Haul Road. Squirrels and rat.

December 17th: Black squirrel, redwing x 5 (from the Visitor Centre window).

December 18th: Mallard x 43, gadwall x 121, wigeon x 110, shoveler x 4, tufted duck x 255, goldeneye x 32, coot x 29, b-h gull x 34, common gull x 2, g-c grebe x 20, mute swan x 96, great white egret x 2, green sandpiper, heron, goldfinch x 15, blackbird, crow, moorhen, woodpigeon, blue tit, great tit, robin, wren, dunnock, redwing x 12, jackdaw, grey wagtail, green woodpecker, magpie, chaffinch, rook, l-t tit, fieldfare, g-s woodpecker, lapwing, greylag goose x 55, bullfinch x 7, greenfinch, pheasant, buzzard x 2, reed bunting, linnet x 60, yellowhammer, cormorant x 10, kestrel, song thrush, jay. (43 spp. Terry Brown)

December 19th: Blackbird, blue tit, robin, squirrel, rat, great tit, moorhen, wood pigeon, heron, kestrel.

Third Thursday Walk: Blackbird, b-h gull, blue tit, buzzard, crow, chaffinch, common gull, cormorant, gadwall, goldfinch, g-c grebe, great tit, green woodpecker, heron, jackdaw, kestrel, kingfisher, lapwing, l-t tit, magpie, mallard, moorhen, mute swan, pheasant, robin, rook, shoveler, stock dove, tufted duck, wigeon, wood pigeon, goldeneye. (32 spp, David Wilson)

Great tit, squirrel, blue tit robin.

Long-tailed tit by "Squid Diddley"

December 21st: Cormorant, mute swan x 80+, tufted duck, mallard, teal, wigeon, gadwall, goldeneye, shelduck, g-w egret, crow, jackdaw, magpie, chaffinch, great tit, blue tit, l-t tit, robin, blackbird, collared dove, woodpigeon, greylag goose x 15, g-s woodpecker, lapwing x 100 overhead. (Simon Marsh).

Robin (JS)

December 23rd: Water Rail (Rudd Pit and another at Washout Pit.) Great white egret at Island Pit, fieldfares x 20+ near workings. (Stephen May)

December 24th: Mallard x 33, mute swan x 122, goldeneye x 34, teal x 9, shoveler x 5, gadwall x 147, wigeon x 112, great white egret x 2, tufted duck x 240, cormorant x 7, l-b-b gull, b-h gull x 110, common gull x 4, lapwing x 18, g-c grebe x17, greylag goose x 74, chaffinch, magpie, blackbird, blue tit, woodpigeon, great tit, goldfinch x 12, heron x 7, jackdaw, robin, green woodpecker, greenfinch, moorhen, wren, meadow pipit x 3, pied wagtail, reed bunting x 2, linnet x 30, kesterl, yellowhammer x 17, long-tailed tits, rook, coot x 24, dunnock. (42 spp, Terry Brown)

Great spotted woodpecker. (JS)

December 26th: Dunnock, robin, chaffinch, mute swan, goldeneye, shoveler, b-h gull, magpie.

Rat, squirrel, tufted duck, great tit, blackbird, jackdaws, cormorant, wood pigeon. 

December 29th: Squirrel, rat blue tit, robin, blackbird, sparrow. (VC)

Stonechat (arable), Great white egret.

Blue tit (JS)

Gadwall x111, shoveler x 4, wigeon x180, goldeneye x 39, teal x 6, tufted duck x 247, mallard x 51, b-h gull x 470, herring gull x 2, gc grebe x 15, coot x 34, common gull x 42, cormorant x 20, heron x 5, mute swan x 128, blue tit, woodpigeon, wren, goldfinch, carrion crow, greenfinch, great tit, robin, stock dove, chaffinch, l-t tit, jackdaw, song thrush, moorhen x 9, g-s woodpecker, blackbird, lapwing, greylag goose x 93, magpie, linnet x 16, skylark, yellowhammer x 4, stonechat, herring gull, water rail, rook, buzzard, bullfinch x 8, dunnock, pied wagtail, reed bunting x 11, green sandpiper (47 spp. Terry Brown)

Stonechat (JS)

G-s woodpecker at the Cobham hide, Goldeneyes displaying and a pair of Egyptian Geese on Island Pit, Goldcrest in haul road, 3 very vocal buzzards hovering near River Viewpoint. 

December 31st: Rat on bird table. Long tailed tits x 11.

Fungi: Aricularia spp, Auricularia mensenterica, Bulgaria inquinans, Chondrostereum purpureum, Fomes fomentrius, Ganoderma applanatum, Stereum hirsuitum, Trametes versicolor, Xylaria hypoxien. (Robin and Rowan)

November 2019

The month began with mild conditions, but with some windy days followed by a lot of rain. The lakes and river rose noticeably.

The Heronry South Lake after rain.

November 3rd: Mink near the Offord Pumphouse intake,

November 5th: Blue tits, wood pigeon, house sparrows, magpie, great tit, robin, squirrels and a cat in the VC garden.

November 6th: Heronry Lakes: Green sandpiper, goldeneye drake. Kite attempting t lift something from the lake, disrupted crows and gulls. Lapwing x 10. (TG)

The "Bus -Stop" hide.

Little egret, buzzard, goldcrest, kestrel and many wildfowl about. (JAS)

Water levels rising fast. The Great Ouse may flood this week.

Mallard x 22, Cormorant x 12, g-c grebe x 13, shoveler x 15, teal x 17, wigeon x 120, gadwall x 170, tufted duck x 75, goldeneye x 4, mute swan x 49, Canada goose x 115, greylag x 100, common gull, lapwing x 10, green sandpiper x 3, b-h gull x 110, moorhen x 16, red kite, sparrowhawk, goldfinch, blue tit, great tit, woodpigeon, robin, jackdaw, l-t tit, heron, wren, blackbird, magpie, coot, redwing x 10, bullfinch, goldcrest x 3, jay, green woodpecker, collared dove. (39 spp. Terry Brown.)

November 8th: G-s woodpecker, sparrow hawk, wigeon, gadwall, mallard, teal, lapwings and shovelers, + lots of fungi.
Gadwall, teal, mallard, wigeon, tufted duck, mute swan, cormorant, heron, g-c grebe, little grebe, coot, crow, magpie, robin, dunnock, blue tit, great tit, l-t tit, g-s woodpecker, woodpigeon, kestrel, jackdaw, blackbird.

November 9th: Kingfishers (x 2?) at Garden pond by the VC. Wren great tit and blue tit. (Kelsey)

November 10th: Bittern over Pumphouse Pit.

November 12th: Shovelers x 3 on the Hayling Pit.

Terry Brown entering his sightings in the log.

November 13th: Wigeon x 44, gadwall x 46, teal x 16, mallard x 12, shoveler x 3, tufted duck x 104, greylag x 75, g-c grebe x 9, green sandpiper x 2, mute swan x 36, b-h gull x 50, Canada goose x 98, moorhen x 7, little grebe, cormorant x 8, song thrush, lapwing x 2, heron, redwing x 8, kingfisher, water rail, pheasant, skylark x 3, yellowhammer, wood pigeon, l-t tit, wren, flieldfare x 2, goldfinch, green woodpecker, bullfinch x 4, blue tit, robin, great tit, magpie, greenfinch, dunnock, chaffinch, blackbird, coot, brow, jackdaw. (44spp. Terry Brown)

November 14th: Coot, moorhen, wigeon, tufted duck, mallard, shoveler, gadwall, b-h gull, cormorant, heron, mute swan, green woodpecker, magpie, crow, jay, jackdaw, blue tit, great tit, robin, starling, woodpigeon, kingfisher, redwing, blackbird, reed bunting, chaffinch, wren.

Cormorant roost: 101 birds at 16:00 (TG)

November 20th: Tony Plant from the St Ives U3A sent us these photos from his visit today. The group spotted this unusual bird of prey in a tree at the River Viewpoint. It's an American Harris' Hawk and I don't think it flew in from Arizona! Thanks Tony.

November 21st: Wigeon flock, gadwall, swans, moorhen, coot, tufted duck, redwings, robin, goldfinch, magpie, pigeon, crow, blackbird, cormorant, wren, great tit, dunnock, collared dove.
(+ Rats and squirrels)

Third Thursday Walk:
Blackbird, black-headed gull, blue tit, cormorant, coot, crow, dunnock, gadwall, goldfish, great tit, green woodpecker, jackdaw, l-t-tit, magpie, mallard, moorhen, mute swan, redwing, robin, feral pigeon, collared dove, shoveler, teal, tufted duck, wigeon, wood pigeon, wren, pheasant, stock dove, g-s woodpecker, pied wagtail, jay, linnet. (33 spp) David Wilson.

Otter on Rudd Pit.

November 23rd: Squirrel x 2, great tit, robin, magpie, collared dove, blue tit, (tree sparrow?)

Tawny owl reported calling in the village. TG.

November 25th: Otter on Heronry North visiting tern rafts.

October 2019

Heronry South lake.

2nd October: It rained a lot on the previous days so not much doing and not many visitors, that is, until today!

Distant shot of wigeon, gadwall, black-tailed
godwit and green sandpiper.

Heronry South lake was the place to be with rafts of wigeon mixed with gadwall and shoveler ducks. Around the edges the stars were seven (Yes SEVEN!) green sandpipers, a black tailed godwit, lapwings, little grebes x 3, herons and a little egret. A Cetti's warbler was heard at the moorings.

6th October: Peter Cariuk photographed a mink at the river viewpoint.

Coal tit.

7th October: Mallard x 28, tufted duck x 14, wigeon x 240, shoveler x 21, gadwall x 60, teal x 15, mute swan x 33, lapwing x 9, Canada goose x 53, greylag x 43, cormorant x 20, GREAT WHITE EGRET, heron x 2, green sandpiper x 3, moorhen x 8, g-c grebe x 10, l b-b gull x 2, b-h gull x 22, magpie, green woodpecker, jay, l-t tit, coot, goldfinch x 6, wren, mistle thrush, song thrush, kingfisher, green-finch, grey wagtail, starling, jackdaw, crow, woodpigeon, blue tit, dunnock, great tit, coal tit, robin, blackbird. 40 spp....(Terry Brown)

Mink at the River Viewpoint. (Peter Cariuk)

9th October: 6 swallows and two house martins followed the river south. A bullfinch took a bath in a puddle and a coal tit was visiting the bird table at the visitor centre. On the mammal front we had rats at both bird tables and, sadly a dying fox cub near the arable fields.

10th October: (Heron Trail) blue tit, great tit, l-t tit, chaffinch, robin, g-s woodpecker, woodpigeon, stock dove, magpie, carrion crow, greylag goose, Canada goose, mallard, wigeon, teal, shoveler, heron, cormorant, kihgfisher, green sandpiper, gadwall.

Muntjac and brown rat.

Moorhen

11th October: From Russell Leavett. Weather comments: 7/8 cloud cover, bright with strong winds.
Visit comments: Visits to Hayden and Kingfisher hides only.
Black-headed Gull, Blue Tit, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Collared Dove, Cormorant, Gadwall, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Green Sandpiper (1), Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, Jackdaw, Lapwing, Little Egret, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Pheasant, Robin, Shoveler, Teal, Tufted Duck, Wigeon, Woodpigeon.

13th October: Lots of blue-tits and kingfisher at the Hayden Hide.

15th October: Wigeon x 275, mallard x 40, shoveller x 17, tufted duck x 22, g-c grebe x12, mute swan x 48, moorhen x 9, teal x 12, gadwall x 145, green sandpiper, lapwing x 34, b-h gull x 80, cormorant x 16, skylark x 4, pied wagtail, redwing x 25, yellowhammer x 18, reed bunting, greylag goose, Canada goose, dunnock sparrowhawk, kestrel, swallow x 3, goldcrest x 3, chiff-chaff, l-t tit, wren, linnet x 15, heron, goldfinch, jackdaw, green woodpecker, blackbird, magpie, crow, blue tit, woodpigeon, robin, gt tit. (43 spp. Terry Brown)

Black-tailed godwit on Heronry North (JK)

Mallard drake.

16th October: I paid a visit to the little sewerage works at Stirtloe, just off the north end of the Reserve. I was hoping for goldcrests, firecrests, yellow browed warblers; all those October migrants that pop in from the dark northern forests as the first snow falls. I didn't see any of those but found a very smart wintering chiff-chaff and watched several flocks of redwings drift over. Let's hope they are the vanguard for an interesting couple of weeks to come.

11:30 -14:00 Shovelers, gadwall, ringed plover, muntjac x 2, cormorants, wigeon, rabbit, g-s woodpecker. (J and LW Epson)

Blue tit.

17th October: Third Thursday Walk:
Blackbird, b-h gull, black-tailed godwit, blue tit, crow, chaffinch, coot, cormorant, collared dove, Canada goose, dunnock, gadwall, goldfinch, g-c grebe, g-s woodpecker, great tit, green sandpiper, green wood-pecker, grey heron, greylag goose, kestrel, kingfisher, lapwing, l-t tit, magpie, mallard, moorhen, mute swan, robin, feral pigeon, ruff, shoveler, tufted duck, wigeon, wood pigeon, wren. (36 pp)

Sparrow hawk.

18th October: Hayden Hide: Wigeon, teal, mallard, tufted duck, shoveler, g-c grebe, cormorant, mute swan, greylag, coot, moorhen, magpie, crow, jackdaw, blue tit, great tit, chaffinch, dunnock, robin, b-h gull, wood pigeon, collared dove.

19th October: Black tailed godwit, green sandpipers (Heronry Lakes)
Coal tit, mallards, greenfinch and mooorhen. (Imogen aged 9 from Royston)

22nd October: Mallard x 28, Tufted duck x 29, teal x6, shoveler x 17, gadwall x 95, wigeon x 60, mute swan x 56, green sandpiper x 6, lapwing x 21, cormorant x 12, great crested grebe x 14, b-h gull x 75, l-b-b gull x 2, grey wagtail, heron x 2, green woodpecker, buzzards, pheasant, meadow pipit, yellowhammer x 4, skylark x 5, redwing x 10, pied wagtail, l-t tit, Canada goose, greylag, chaffinch, bullfinch, song thrush, blackbird, crow, wren, moorhen, great tit, collared dove, blue tit, golldfinch, robin, woodpigeon, magpie, dunnock, g-s woodpecker. Terry Brown. (46 spp.)

24th October: In Garden: Squirrel, brown rat, blue-tit x 2, great tit x 2, wren, dunnock, sparrow, collared dove, robin, coal tit.

27th October: Blue tit (Harry Emeleus) goldcrest x2, fieldfare (small flock), green sandpiper, green woodpecker, linnet, reed bunting, l-t tit, greenfinch x 2. Kingfisher at River View.

28th October: (Heron Trail) Mute swan, Canada goose, greylag, Egyptian goose, mallard, shoveler, wigeon, teal, gadwall, tufted duck, coot, moorhen, lapwing, b-h gull, green sandpiper, heron, cormorant, crow, magpie, woodpigeon, pheasant, green woodpecker, chaffinch, great tit, blue tit, l-t tit, robin, dunnock, redwing.

30th October: Grey squirrels, blue tit x 3, dunnock (in garden).
Bullfinch, greenfinch, yellowhammer, goldfinch, reed bunting, great tit, l-t tit, g-s woodpecker, green woodpecker, shoveler, mallard, wigeon, gadwall, coot, moorhen, Canada goose, heron, cormorant, green sandpiper, g-c grebe, mute swan, robin, chaffinch, magpie, kestrel, teal, redwing and buzzard.

Red crested pochard x 2 drakes and a juv male goldeneye on Heronry Lakes. (TG)

31st October: Wigeon x 140, tufted duck x 65, shoveler x 17, teal x 12, gadwall x 145, mallard x 14, Mute swan x 37, cormorant x 14, l b-b gull x 2, snipe, b-h gull x 115, green sandpiper x 2, coot, lapwing x 7, g-s woodpecker x 2, blue tit, great tit, blackbird, robin, woodpigeon, wren, goldfimch x 10, greenfinch, dunnock, crow, collared dove, bullfinch, chaffinch, redwing x 10, moorhen x 12, Canada goose x 71, heron x 2, goldcrest, jackdaw, skylark x 3, l-t tit, g-c grebe x 7, yellowhammer, reed bunting x 4, magpie, green woodpecker, sparrowhawk. Terry Brown (43 spp)

September 2019

The month began with fine weather suitable for early autumn bird migration. Waders on the Heronry Lakes included lapwings, common and green sandpipers while wildfowl numbers started to climb as the first wigeon dropped in from Iceland to be accompanied by shoveler, teal and a lot of gadwall.

Common darter

On the invertebrate front dragonflies were abundant, including southern, migrant and brown hawkers, ruddy and common darters and willow emerald damsels. Several wasp spiders were found and the late summer butterflies continued to show, including painted ladies, red admirals, speckled woods, small and large whites. Common blue, brown argus and holly blue could be found on most days at the end of August and into September.

Gadwall

September 1st: Kingfisher, green sandpiper and chiff-chaff on the Heronry Lakes.

September 2nd: Green sandpiper x 2, kingfisher at Bill's Bench, little egret x 2, gadwall 40+, wigeon x 5. (25 species on the Heronry Lakes.) Green woodpecker and lesser stag beetle on the river trail.

Speckled wood.

Lesser stag beetle.

September 5th: Blue-tit, great tit, robin, wren and dunnock in the garden. Little egret, common sandpiper. wigeon x 10, gadwall x 50.

September 7th: Kingfisher at the beach on Rudd Pit (Kathy Hall)

September 8th: Common gull x 2,

September 10th: Rat on bird table, blue tit, great tit, collared dove, robin plus young robins.

September 12th: Crow, jackdaw, magpie, yellowhammer, robin, dunnock, g-s woodpecker, blue tit, great tit, l-t tit, buzzard, cormorant, grey heron, little egret, mallard, gadwall, wigeon, stock dove, wood pigeon, moorhen, coot, greylag, Canada goose, mute swan, lapwing.

September 13th: 08:45 - 12:30 Mute swan x 14, g-c grebe x 6, moorhen x 12, gadwall x 156, mallard x 45, shoveller x 10, wigeon x 35, teal x 16, litte egret x 2, tufted duck x 16, common gull, b-h gull x 131, lapwing x 2, green sandpiper x 2, cormorant x x 13, reed warbler, yellow wagtail, buzzard x 2, red kite, black cap, blue tits, greenfinches, robins, dunnocks, great tits, goldfinch x 7, wood pigeon, collared dove, chiffchaff x 4, blackbird, crow, wren, heron, jackdaw, magpie, greylags and Canada geese, sparrowhawk, great spotted cuckoo!!! (woodpecker?), wren, green woodpecker, l-t tit, jay.
44 spp seen by Terry Brown.

September 14th: Great tit x 2, blue tit. robin x 2, pigeon, heron, dunnock.

September 16th: Near Hayden Hide. Black cap pair, willow/chiff, blue tit, great tit, l-t tit.
Green sandpiper x 5 from the Kingfisher hide.

September 18th: Kingfisher on Weedy Pit. Several reports of grass snakes.

September 19th: Third Thursday Walk with 22 walkers and 47 species!
Blackbird, blackcap, b-h gull, blue tit, buzzard, crow, chiffchaff, common sandpiper, cormorant, dunnock, gadwall, garden warbler, g-c grebe, g-s woodpecker, heron, greylag, jackdaw, kingfisher, lapwing, little grebe, l-t tit, magpie, mute swan, mallard, meadow pipit, goldfinch, goldcrest, moorhen, reed bunting, robin, stock dove, collared dove, rock dove/ racing pigeon, yellowhammer, swallow, teal,  jay, shoveller, wigeon, willow warbler, wood pigeon, wren, Canada goose, mistle thrush.

September 20th: A special bird ringing session was held. Report to follow.

September 22nd: Kingfisher x 3 hobby on Heronry Lakes, Otter at the moorings.

September 23rd: Kingfisher at Washout Pit. Greenshank, lapwings, pied wagtails, red kite, buzzard, cormorant, coots, kestrel and g-c grebe at Diddington. JAS.

September 26th: Otter filmed on Rudd Pit.


FUNGI
The result of this month's fungus foray was a bit sparse. (too dry?). The following fungi were found including  the Deadly Dapperling near the moorings. This is the second most poisonous fungus in the UK and looks remarkably like the edible shaggy parasol mushroom.

The dreaded Deadly Dapperling.
A first for the Reserve.

Taxon Group: fungus (Recoirded by Richard Shotbolt.
    Agrocybe rivulosa (Wrinkled Fieldcap)
    Erysiphe alphitoides (Oak Mildew)
    Erysiphe heraclei (Umbellifer Mildew)
    Ganoderma australe (Southern Bracket)
    Lepiota brunneoincarnata (Deadly Dapperling)
    Polyporus leptocephalus [as Polyporus varius f. nummularius] (Blackfoot Polypore)
    Stereum hirsutum (Hairy Curtain Crust)
    Trametes versicolor (Turkeytail)
  Taxon Group: myxomycete
    Fuligo septica var. septica (Flowers Of Tan)

August 2019

This month will hopefully see an increase in waders on the reserve. Green sandpipers have already been a feature from mid July onwards. The last of the swifts will be on their way south and other early migrants might include a few passerines.

The last swifts of the year.

It's not only birds that migrate, insects so too. Look for migrant hawker dragonflies, hummingbird hawk-moths and perhaps clouded yellow butterflies.

Great dodder at the river view.

If you have never seen one, leaf emerald damselflies could be a good "tick" as these are relatively scarce and a newcomer to the Pits.

We have not had a lot of records for wasp spider this year, but they are still around if you look carefully. I have had two reports from the meadow.

Wasp spider from underneath.

Wasp spider upper side.

1st August: Green sandpiper and little egret on Heronry South, Chiffchaffs, blackcaps, common whitethroat x 2, reed warbler x 4, kingfisher, yellowhammer, b-h gull x 63, g-c grebe x 21, linnet x 5, buzzard.
Great dodder at river viewpoint.

Common buzzard.

August 1st: Here is an excellent sighting from John McDonough  It's aRed-tipped Clearwing (Synanthedon formicaeformis) photographed on the Meadow Trail.

Red tipped clearwing moth.

This species imitates a small wasp and uses various willows as food plants, of which there are many around the area.


5th August: 25 species on Heronry South including 7 lapwings. (TG)

6th August: Blue tit x 2, great tit x 3, collared dove x 2.

Green-veined white.

7th August: Very quiet on the lakes, b-h gulls, grey heron, cormorant, moorhen. Emperor, ruddy darter, common darter, brown hawker and migrant hawker dragonflies. green-veined white and gatekeeper butterflies. (JAS)

Ruddy darter.

8th August: Young blue tits, coal tit?, great tit x 2, greenfinch, magpie, rook, pied wagtail, wood pigeon, wren. All the Visitor Centre.

11th August: Great spotted woodpecker at the Hayden Hide. Greenfinch x 2, blue tit x3.

Blue tit.

12th August: Grey squirrel x 2, blue tit x 3, great it x 3, wren.

15th August: Third Thursday Walk:
B-h gull, blue tit, crow, chaffinch, cormorant, dunnock, gadwall, goldfinch, g-c grebe, great tit, green sandpiper, grey heron, little egret x 5, magpie, mallard, moorhen, mute swan, robin, stock dove, wood pigeon, wren, Canada goose (22spp.) David Wilson.
Small white butterfly in garden.
Good selection of dragonflies including common and ruddy darters, brown hawker etc.

Goldfinch.

16th August: Little Egret x 2, new baby moorhens, large flock of mixed hirundines, all on Heronry Lakes. (JAS)

August 18th: Otter in the Heronry Lakes 4-5 pm.

August 20th: Flock of long-tailed tits in VC garden, wasp spider in meadow, c25 gadwall on Heronry lake, willow emerald damselfly.

Willow emerald, Cloudy Pit.

22nd August: Flock of long-tailed tits at the Hayden Hide, Buzzard over, green woodpeckers at river view, green sandpiper at Kingfisher Hide.

23rd August: Lots of sightings of willow emeralds this week. Also two otters on Heronry Lakes, wasp spider in the meadow and a skulking young birds in the bushes including blackcap, garden warbler, lesser whitethroat, whitethroat, reed warbler and long-tailed tits. Tawny owls and coal tit calling in Gordon Road. (Mark Brandon). Herons "sunbathing" and panting at the same time.

Grey heron, Heronry South Lake.

27th August: Brown, southern and migrant hawkers, common and ruddy darters. Willow emeralds on the meadow trail and a wasp spider. Water rail at the beach on Cloudy Pit. Water shrew and wood-mouse at the beach. (JAS.)

Mating willow emeralds.

28th August: Little egret x2, green sandpiper x 2, gadwall x 40, wigeon x 5, grey heron x 5, lapwing x 5 all on Heronry South. (TG)

29th August: Mute swan x 36, g-c grebe x 13, cormorant x 18, gadwall x 88, teal x 5, mallard x 27, wigeon x 3, tufted duck x 17. moorhen  x 13, kingfisher, green sandpiper x 2, little egret x 4, heron, blue tit, collared dove, magpie, goldfinch, wren, robin, greenfinch, b-h gull x 94, dunnock, reed bunting, great tit, green woodpecker, jackdaw, l-t tit, stock dove, crow, g-s woodpecker, chiff-chaff x 4, treecreeper. (Terry Brown).

30th August: Green sandpiper x 2, common sandpiper x 2, lapwing, teal, shoveler, widgeon, gadwall, kingfisher. (Heronry Lakes) JAS. Small white, red admiral, painted lady. Collared dove x 11.

31st August: Great white egret on Heronry South. (Stephen May).

Paxton Pits Nature Reserve: Constant Effort Site (CES) Ringing Newsletter
Visit Twelve: 26th August 2019
Summary:
The twelfth and final CES ringing session of the monitoring season was conducted on a very warm and sunny morning on August Bank Holiday Morning. The session was dominated by Blackcaps with this species contributing almost 50% of the new birds ringed. After a good breeding season last year, the numbers of Blackcaps ringed in 2019 has not quite met our expectations. The poor weather in June probably affected early nesting success, but the warm end to the summer will have improved this for later broods. The other highlight of the session was the first Great Spotted Woodpecker ringed in 2019, we often see them around the sanctuary but in most cases, they are not flying low enough and avoid our nets, so they are always a welcome addition to our catches.
The CES season has finished, over the next few weeks I will collate all our data and produce a report on how 2019 compares to previous years. It appears that 2019 has been a pretty good breeding season for common resident species such as Robins and Blue Tits. Now we have completed the standardised monitoring the we now plan to visit the sanctuary and ring some remaining migrant birds in September and October, with Blackcaps again being one of the main targets.
Ringers for this session in my absence were: Maureen Reeves, Alan Garner, Andy Stanbury, Chantal MacLeod-Nolan and Viv Ward.

Totals
The table below gives details of the number of birds ringed and recaptured

Species	New	Recaptures	Total
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1	0	1
Wren	0	1	1
Robin	0	6	6
Lesser Whitethroat	1	0	1
Whitethroat	1	0	1
Blackcap	12	0	12
Chiffchaff	1	0	1
Blue Tit	1	1	1
Great Tit	1	2	1
Bullfinch	7	0	7
Total	25	10	35