Walk round the reserve at the moment and you'll find lots of busy birds. Three common sandpipers are busy duffing each other up in a tussle for territory on the shallow lagoon; the first young blackcaps, robins and blackbirds are making their way in the world; whitethroats, sedge warblers and reed warblers are busy with parental duties, taking food to nests tucked away in the scrub and reedbeds; and bumblebees and butterflies are busy collecting pollen and nectar from the trees and flowers.
The little ringed plovers hatched earlier in the week; we're not sure how many, but there's at least one pale, fluffy chick running round on ridiculously out-of-proportion legs today, best viewed from the boardwalk. There are at least two broods of three oystercatchers on Deep Lagoon islands, and a brood of lapwings, with more clutches yet to hatch. Sadly, the great crested grebes have disappeared following their nest being swamped by waves last week.
Saturday (28th) started with a few lucky people seeing hobby hunting swifts and martins over the lagoons, a scarce bird here. Two wheatears and 24 dunlins on Tuesday (29th) were late heading north; they ought to be on nests by now. Another couple of dunlin were joined by a curlew sandpiper and a black-tailed godwit on Wednesday and Thursday, all coming into summer plumage, but they left during clear weather on Thursday night. A grey wagtail has been seen several times this week, but beware the many juvenile pied wagtails that are here at the moment.
The first delicate pink flowers of the bee orchid are starting to appear this week - please tread carefully if you're on the estuary track!
Don't forget that it's Springwatch Sunday this weekend, with lots of hands-on activities for youngsters. Ring us on 01492 584091 to book.
Julian HughesSite Manager, Conwy