Sightings on the reserve – May 2025

We have so many brilliant people that come to the reserve, and share their sightings with us. Here is a recent blog from Sue Gale after her visit here:

At last!  A beautiful morning for a Pensthorpe count – my first.  Sunny and not too windy.  Cath, Ray and I started out in the carpark which was pretty quiet except for some noisy Oystercatchers and 2 Greenfinches,  which we were pleased to find were plentiful this morning.  Overhead were the first Swallows of the day, estimated at 3, but these birds were so active that it was almost impossible to make a count – were the next 3 we saw the same ones or a different 3?   Entering the reserve  from the little side gate by the shop we counted the gulls etc on Moon Water first, and this is a very welcome change from having to do this last when the need for coffee and sustenance has kicked in.

The Farmland hide was busy only with Jackdaws and Rooks feeding on grain on the path, although we did see one of the many Blackcaps we heard in a tree just outside the hide.  From the Wetland hide there were 3 Grey Herons and a few Lapwings, but mainly Greylag and Egyptian Geese – both very frequent across the reserve.  The Barnacle Geese mainly showed up on or around Old Squaw, and here we had plenty of proof of breeding of Black-headed Gulls, although we couldn’t be sure about the Common Terns seen here.   The Woodland hide was quiet as usual but we enjoyed the poppies in the field at the back.  A highlight as we made our way past the wildflower meadow was a Kingfisher that flashed past on Makin’s Mere and I was pleased with the Garden Warbler near the woods.  A good number of Sedge and Reed Warblers as we walked around, and a fair tally of raptors.  We finished at the Wader Scrape with the expected large numbers of Black-headed Gulls, intermixed with a few Avocet pairs.  We were glad to add a Willow Warbler as we headed for that coffee.