Hard going on the reserve today - 10 hours in the field only yielded me 67 species. The combined sightings of myself, Andy P, Phil W and Tim are as follows:-
SAILING POOL
2 Grey Wagtail, 1 Cormorant, 9 Tufted Duck, 2 Gadwall, 70 Mallard, 5 GC Grebe, Green Sandpiper over
FLASHES
4 Avocet (the long staying party of 3 plus a newcomer), 1 Dunlin, 2 Ruff, 5 Snipe, 13 Curlew in the roost, 18 Lapwing, 15 Mallard, 2 Gadwall, 50 Teal, 4 Shoveler, 1 Tufted Duck, 55 Coot, 43 Moorhen, Water Rail, 2 Little Grebe, Jay, Grey Wagtail, Raven, 7 Rook, 2 Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, Cetti's Warbler, Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, several Meadow Pipits over, Green Woodpecker, Kingfisher
Roost: min 1,000 BH Gulls (I gave up counting), 101 LBB Gull, 3 Herring Gull, first winter Yellow-legged Gull
MOORS POOL
6 Snipe, 100 Lapwing, 10 Mute Swan, c300 Canada Geese, 58 Greylag Geese, 5 Gadwall, 10 Shoveler, 19 Teal, 75 Mallard, 21 Tufted Duck, 4 Little Grebe, 2 Little Egret, 2 Grey Heron, 9 Cormorant, 24 Coot, 13 Moorhen, Nuthatch calling from the east side, Coal Tit on west side, Jay, Pheasant, GS Woodpecker, Kingfisher, parties of 5 and 10 Swallows, 4 Collared Dove.
NORTH MOORS
3 Teal, 3 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, Grey Heron
Butterflies were limited to 1 Comma, 2 Red Admiral, 1 Large White and 1 Small White.
The most common odonata was Migrant Hawker with at least 15 present; also 2 Banded Demosielle, 1 Common Darter and 2 Common Blue Damselfly.
The work programme to the Hen Pool kicked off today with the main activity focussing on getting the heavy machinery in place via the sewage works and the edge of the first flash - sadly a number of the bushes in "Shrike Hedge" were lost as part of the process.