Wildlife is thriving!

As the season moves towards summer the Clophill Lakes site is now teeming with wildlife! Our ecologist visits the site regularly and spotted a green-winged orchid in the grassland (pictured) – it seems to be a good year for them!

On the bird front a cuckoo is definitely back on site, as well as quite a few sand martins, house martins, swifts and swallows swooping over the lake as they feed. An oystercatcher was also heard but couldn’t be seen!

A female wheatear was seen around the dry lichen area. This is a small mainly ground-dwelling bird that hops and runs on the ground – nice to think Clophill Lakes is providing a good stop for it on its migration from central Africa.

A grasshopper warbler (pictured) was heard calling – it has a very distinctive call, like a fishing reel unwinding fast. It’s on the Red List of endangered species so we were particularly pleased to hear this!

Our ecologist has been surveying skylarks and reports there are fewer skylarks than last year but more meadow pipits.  She says this isn’t really surprising as there’s another year’s growth meaning the habitat is getting less suitable for one and more so for the other – although once the cattle are grazing on site this will hopefully make it better for skylarks again. 

Dogs on lead please!

The arable field where the public footpath runs alongside has nesting skylarks, meadow pipits and possibly grey partridge at the moment – all nest on the ground and so dogs running about in there would really disturb them. When the adults are disturbed from the nests the eggs and chicks are really vulnerable to crows so we advise dog walkers to please keep their pets on a lead when passing by to protect these bird species.

 

Please donate to our charity appeal to enable us to develop the site as a new nature reserve for the local community.

 

Grasshopper Warbler image taken by Martin Green at a nearby site