Cliffe Pools - August
Cliffe in August is a festival of waders! In both 2003 and 2004 some 25 species of wader were recorded through the month including both resident and migrant species, including wood, green, common and curlew sandpipers, greenshank, spotted redshank and ruff, little stint, black-tailed godwit and avocet.
In recent years there have been some spectacular counts with up to 800 black-tailed godwits, 700 avocet and 55 curlew sandpipers noted amongst others. Additionally there is always a good chance of a rarity, pectoral sandpipers have been seen in both the last 2 years. Indeed it would be fair to say that at this time of year in regard to its wader spectacle, Cliffe Pools stands comparison with any other reserve in the country!
However, Cliffe in August is not just about waders and birds. It is also the best time of the year for the reserves important bumble-bee populations. Look near the sea-wall on areas of the yellow birds foot trefoil for the nationally rare brown-banded and shrill carder bees, the former small and a bright ginger, the latter also small and banded buff and dark brown.
August is a good month too for other insects butterflies such as gatekeepers and common blues are common in brambly and grassy areas which are also home to great numbers of grasshoppers and bush crickets, listen for the thin continual buzz of roesels bush cricket in long grass and the hesitant chirp of dark bush crickets in bramble areas.
Latest sightings.
3/8; 1 curlew sandpiper.
4/8; 86 little grebe, 61 great-crested grebe, 35 little egret, 320 black-tailed godwit, 15 bar-tailed godwit, 5 greenshank, 1 spotted redshank, 300 redshank, 1 ruff, 550 avocet, 13 grey plover.
8/8; 22 little egret, 1 rt hen harrier, 550 black-tailed godwit, 7 ruff, 3 common sandpiper, 1 wood sandpiper, 3 greenshank, 160 redshank, 1 spotted redshank, 80 dunlin, 1350 black-headed gulls, 850 starling.
11/8: 354 black-tailed godwit, 527 avocet, 95 grey plover, 379 redshank, 126 dunlin, 4 bar-tailed godwit, 6 greenshank, 1 spotted redshank, 8 ruff, 2 green sandpiper, 3 common sandpiper, 15 ringed plover, 5 yellow wagtail, 1 wheatear.
