Its certainly that time of year when there's a bit of a lull in migration and summer kicks in with reserve's breeding birds, insects, mammals and dragonflies taking center show.
The marsh harriers were breathtaking yesterday with the females hunting for their growing chicks and the males bringing in their share of the food giving some spectacular food passes, well worth waiting a while in the hides towards Singleton lagoon as their activity goes in pulses depending on the weather and how hungry the chicks are! There has been no sign of the female Montagu's harrier so maybe she's gone south?
Here's a few snaps from yesterday but check also out Brian Needham's excellent photo on the web page of the food pass dropping either a young rabbit or hare.
Male and female having a territorial dispute!
Would you get in the way of this female after her dinner?
Another with water vole, her second of the week at least!!
The young male bittern continues to be active with our regular bittern watching visitors Jeff and Brenda getting just reward for days of bittern watching by actually getting to see him boom! Bitterns of course boom with their neck pointing horizontal and head down, not like many people think that they would be pointing skywards. Here's another snap of him in the week
Barn owls are being increasingly seen around site as they are now bringing food in for their growing young, Ousefleet and Marshland are pretty good place particularly in the evening to see them
Barn owl with vole
Avocets continue to entertain at Marshland with a very obliging pair trying to nest on the island slap bang in front of the hide giving at times some very good photographic opportunities.
Bearded tits (oops I almost spelled that one as breaded tit! Must be thinking about my tea) may not be quite so obliging but there are plenty about which can be seen around the edges of the lagoons. Keep an eye out for them as they whiz about low over the tops of the reeds.
A good mix of supporting birds with little egrets, cettis warblers, yellow wagtails and a host of warblers about site as well as our tree sparrows and good numbers of reed buntings. The cormorants have been good value on Marshland recently with up to five birds gobbling up the sticklebacks!
Also plenty of broods seemingly surviving the attention from the marsh harriers like this lovely little party of moorhen's below. Good too to see a few young little grebes surviving as well as some big broods of mallard.
Very nice to see the Roe deer reveal that she did in fact have twins, what a treat when she brought them so close to Marshland hide that I could see their wet end of their nose!
Continuing the insect theme from last time its been nice to see a few painted ladies coming into the country, also recorded this week was the first large skipper butterfly, plenty of hairy dragonflies, and large red damselflies. Also look for the tree bee colony in the nest box on the side of Ousefleet hide - you can't miss the buzzing when sat inside!
Tree bee's
Hairy dragonfly
Painted lady