The third CES visit carried out this morning suggested plenty of breeding pairs of various species around the Obs Tower area this year. Also young Long-tailed tits, Robins and Dunnocks captured.
Middleton NR - 06.00 - 07.40hrs.
Mute Swan - 14 (2 pairs, 1 with 10 cygnets)
Shelduck - 2
Mallard - 3 (2m/1f)
Tufted Duck (1m/1f)
Pheasant - 1
Grey Heron - 1
Kestrel - 1
Moorhen - 1
Coot - 6 (inc. 2 juv)
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 20+
Herring Gull - 5+
Woodpigeon - 4+
Swift - 3
Magpie - 6+
Carrion Crow - 4+
Swallow - 5
Chiffchaff - 1
Lesser Whitethroat - 2
Whitethroat - 6+
Grasshopper Warbler - 3
Sedge Warbler - 3+
Reed Warbler - 4+
Wren - 5+
Starling - 1
Blackbird - 8+
Song Thrush - 1
Mistle Thrush - 1
Dunnock - 3
Chaffinch - 10+
Greenfinch - 5+
Goldfinch - 4+
Linnet - 30+
Reed Bunting - 3+
(No Willow Warblers or Blackcap seen or heard)
Moths
Burnet Companion - 1 seen during butterfly transect near reserve entrance road - a very scarce species here. What may have been a Poplar Kitten in the office trap this morning, also the first Eyed Hawk of the year and another Shaded Pug. A worn highflyer spp awaits a check (both Ruddy and May occur here) .
