Chris Johnston’s latest report.
I managed to get to the reserve both yesterday and today, so this is a combined report. The clear highlight was Cetti’s Warbler, singing along the border between Hay Meadow and Upper Sower Holme. I’m not sure if this has been recorded before but I was delighted to hear one this morning.
25 & 26 April 2026
Time: 07:30 – 09:30 both days
Weather: calm & sunny (25th), calm & light cloud (26th), temperature ranging from 7°C to 15.5°C
Two beautifully still mornings with barely a breath of wind. The main highlight was a Cetti’s Warbler heard singing briefly on 26th along the border between Hay Meadow and Upper Sower Holme. 43 species were recorded across the two visits.
- 2 pairs of Oystercatchers in Flora Field, including a mating pair; also, up to 9+ Pheasants visible from the road, a pair of Mallards with 3 ducklings on small pool near road, and 9+ Black-headed Gulls. 2 Brown Hares were in the field close to the road on 25th along with 2 Mistle Thrushes in the far corner of the field near Pony Wood.
- The Lesser Whitethroat was again singing between the entrance on Aldcliffe Road and Pony Wood, offering good views on 26th, not always the case with this elusive warbler.
- A pair of Blackcaps were seen in Pony Wood on 25th; also, 1 singing Chiffchaff, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Nuthatch, 2 Long-tailed Tits and 1 Stock Dove.
- 2
Mallard and 1 Moorhen on the pool in West Field. - One of the funnier things to witness was seeing up to 10 Jackdaws perched on top of the white cattle, plucking their excess winter coat and flying off eastwards across the reserve with nesting material in their beaks. The cows didn’t seem unduly bothered. Almost literally a case of ‘you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours’!
- A pair of Blackcaps were seen in the orchard, along with Coal Tit, singing Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler close by. A third Blackcap was singing in the copse on the corner by the school field.
- A Grey Heron was on School Pond (26th).
- 1 Curlew flew south over Hay Meadow on 25th. A single Swallow and House Martin were seen overhead.
- Another Blackcap was singing close to the Cromwell Road entrance to the reserve.
- Close by, on the canal, the Goosander was present on 25th, replaced by a Mute Swan on 26th. A White Wagtail was a pleasant surprise on Ripley Field on 25th, handily side-by-side with a Pied Wagtail for close comparison.