Five Woodlarks were seen at Broadwater Warren today by one of our bird recorders, Alan Skinner. This is only the second time in a decade that these lovely little birds have been at Broadwater, the first being last year. They are currently staying together, but will probably soon split up to establish their own territories and start singing to attract a mate.
Woodlarks feed and nest on the ground, so they can be very susceptible to disturbance. Observe from a distance and listen out for their beautiful descending song, especially on sunny mornings.
You can here an example of the song on our woodlark page. We'll also try to help visitors hear and see these birds when we're out on the reserve.
Other interesting sightings today included 9 Common Snipe and a report of a Lesser-spotted Woodpecker in the wet woodlands, close to our boundary with Sussex Wildlife Trust. This is the smallest and rarest of the UK's three woodpecker species. It is in serious decline in the South East. A concerted effort to find signs of this lovely bird last year did not produce any results, so its great to find them again.
* Fingers crossed * for a good season for all these birds.