The wildlife which live their lives in the background, on Paxton Pits Nature Reserve, never ceases to amaze me. One way to see it, is popping into our visitor centre, buying a drink and cake and watching it in comfort on the TVs. The film is taken from our several camera traps.
However, there is much wildlife our camera traps cannot pick up. Go into the Cobham Hide and sit quietly for a while. The windows there always remind me of a large TV. There is always something happening and sometimes there is the “Wow” moment. One of our volunteers goes in there regularly with her camera. The lighting is particularly good in the afternoon. Her recent “Wow” moment was a bittern coming out of the reeds. It is probably a juvenile, which could stay the winter or maybe longer.
Bitterns need reeds to breed. I noticed yesterday, on the Water Bird Count (WeBS) how Wash-Out Pit has infilled with reeds this year. Wouldn’t it be brilliant if the bittern stayed and bred there?
The various ducks are starting to build up on the northern lakes, with over 100 each gadwall and wigeon, being counted on WeBS. There were also 30 moorhen on Hayling lake and Lapwings were in good number on Island Pit. Mike and I went around the Sailing Lake with 2 first time timers for WeBS and we had some extra good spots to show them. A snipe standing out in the sunshine, a green sandpiper and a grey wagtail.
More hidden wildlife is something you are treading on all the time. Fungus live as a mycelium under the ground most of their lives. Their fruiting bodies only pop up once a year as mushrooms and toadstools. Last Saturday was National Fungus Day and the Huntingdonshire Fungus group came to the reserve with their expertise. So did many others! Over 60 people, in the morning and afternoon mooched around the Heron Trail. As the year has been so dry, expectations have not been high to see the usual number of species. However, although the number of species was well down, there were some good finds. There was a super group of birds’s nest fungi (Crucibulum laeve), which are tiny cups 4-10mm across with white eggs at the bottom and also a red lacquered bracket in prime condition. They look exactly as they suggest when at their best. Just a day later, I looked at it and it looked as if it needed a polish!
I don’t know how many people see bats around the reserve. There certainly are plenty, including a rarer one-the Nathusius’ pipistrelle. This is slightly larger than the common and soprano pipistrelle. It is also migratory. Our licensed bat group recently tagged 3 of them. One of them left Paxton Pits last week, moved down to Aylesbury overnight, then decided to go on its holidays to Prestatyn! I look forward to hearing about its next travels.
Our work parties also are mainly in areas, the general public don’t see. The Friends of Paxton Pits work party programme is now up and running every 10 days, until the spring. Come along, have an enjoyable morning in the open in areas you would not usually be able to see. A sociable time and we stop for a break with a drink and biscuits.
As usual, please contact me with any of your Paxton Pits Nature Reserve Wildlife sightings at friends@paxton-pits.org.uk.
Best wishes
Ann
Ann Thomas 12.10.26