Typical you spend a beautiful morning on the Reserve enjoying the fantastic summer wildlife and then when you drive up to the office you have a dark phase honey buzzard fly over you in Little Reedness! Yes indeed typical and another example of how fickle birding can be, mind you I shouldn't complain really about what I'd seen over the last 24hrs. Below a very distant shot which could almost be the honey monster! - some better wildlife photo's to follow.........
Summer really seems to be bursting out at the seams on the reserve with avocet chicks now hatching and the marsh harriers starting to feed their young I suspect.
How about this to bring some warmth to your heart and soul
Bitterns are still being seen occassionally while the bearded tits are busy feeding their second broods, often whizzing across the top of the reeds or feeding along the edge of Xerox, First and Townend lagoons. The sedge warblers and reed warblers were singing like crazy this morning and allowed me to get at least a few shots of them.
Very notable is the increase in biodiversity on site with my first queen hornet yesterday (in Singleton hide - eek!), and this lovely small copper this morning. Also the goatsbeard is flowering along the flood bank while the hawthorne is now starting to get a gorgeous pink tinge as it starts to fade.
Goatsbeard also known as Jack go to bed at noon.
Also keep an eye out for these cheeky fox cubs and the smashing hares that are sneaking around the paths (see photo's below). And to top it all the water voles and weasels are also adding to the mammal fest, but the question is when will we see the first Roe deer young?
Evening all - I'll leave you with the avo chicks