SS15 wildlife watching: Visit to Noak Bridge Nature Reserve

Date: 2nd June 2021

Time: from 7:45 a.m.

Weather: dry, sunny, light wind, 13°C to 20°C

It was an exceptionally warm morning for my first visit to the reserve since 12th May 2021.

The reserve looked particularly lush and green and the growth in vegetation was very noticeable compared with my last visit.

I had an excellent visit and added 11 species to my site list for the year which included 2 completely new records for the site for me.

Meadow Pond proved to be exceptionally productive and I managed to record the following species of dragonflies and damselflies, all of which were additions to my site list for the year: Hairy Dragonfly (1 …. new record for the site), Four-spotted Chaser (1), Large Red-eyed Damselfly (3 …. new record for the site), Large Red Damselfly (at least 2), Common Blue Damselfly (at least 2).

However, Meadow Pond was also amazing for the very vocal and visible Edible Frogs, another addition to my site list for the year. As I walked down the boardwalk towards the pond, I could hear them calling and, in a period of around an hour, I saw up to 8 Edible Frogs at any one time although the total number present must have been much higher. By sitting quietly at the end of the boardwalk, it was possible to get very close views and photos of the calling males as they inflated their air sacs and also of some aggression between the males and their chasing of the females.

Before reaching Meadow Pond, I had taken a very slow and quiet walk along the southern stretch of the boardwalk in the hope of seeing Common Lizards. I was successful but only with the briefest sighting of an individual as it darted off the boardwalk and in to cover. This was also an addition to my site list for the year.

Due to the cold, wet and windy spring, I have struggled to see butterflies at any of my local patch sites but at least the warmer temperatures this morning enabled me to see a single male Orange Tip and a single Small White, both additions to my site list for the year.

And so on to the birds where I eventually added a singing male Lesser Whitethroat to my site list for the year. Unfortunately I only heard this bird as I walked from the storage shed towards Puckles Pond. I also saw 5 Starlings, another addition to my site list for the year.

Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs were still evident across the whole site but in much smaller numbers than earlier in the spring. I failed to see either species but heard 3 singing male Blackcaps and 5 singing male Chiffchaffs.

I also saw a male Mallard on Willow Pond plus another male which dropped in briefly in to Meadow Pond causing all the Edible Frogs to dive out of sight plus 2 more males flying over Meadow Pond. In addition, I heard 2 calling Great Spotted Woodpeckers, one between the boardwalk and the storage shed and another near the Spanish Steps.

With regard to mammals, I had a very close view of a Red Fox as it emerged from the scrub surrounding Meadow Pond although I failed to get any photos other than a blurred fleeing bum shot!

I also saw a single Grey Squirrel running along the track near the Spanish Steps.

Species recorded during this visit were as follows (heard only records in italics):

Lesser Whitehroat

Blackcap

Chiffchaff

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Robin

Wren

Dunnock

Blackbird