As the spring has progressed we’ve seen further arrivals of our summer visitors that breed on the reserve, along with an interesting variety of passage migrants. While the numbers have continued to increase of species which had already arrived, we also recorded our first lesser whitethroat on 14/4 (library photo by Bob Garrett) and common whitethroat on 21/4 which completes the range of species which regularly breed here.
Other passerines of interest have included yellow wagtails with one on 13/4 and two on 29/4, and whinchat including a male on 23/4, and three females reported on 1/5 with one still present on 2/5. Grasshopper warblers were recorded on several dates from 8/4, and a garden warbler was present on 2/5. Wheatear have continued to be seen regularly with a high count of at least 12 birds present along the estuary track on 30/4.
Ospreys were reported overhead on 19/4 and 24/4, and a cuckoo was present on 30/4.
Swifts returned on 22/4 and have been seen regularly in good numbers since, while sand martins have also been numerous with a peak of at least 400 birds over the lagoons on 30/4.
Sandwich terns have been a regular sight, mostly over the estuary and occasionally on the lagoons with a maximum of 34 present on 9/4. A single arctic tern was also recorded on 9/4, with a further two present on the estuary on 16/4 along with a common tern. Two Mediterranean gulls on 19/4 were also of interest.
Waders have included regular spotted redshank with sightings on 10 dates over the past month, including two birds on 16/4. Individual little ringed plover were seen on 19/4 and 2/5 while black-tailed godwit were also recorded twice with four on 18/4 and 15 on 23/4, all in their smart rusty red breeding plumage on their way north to breed in Iceland. Whimbrel have also been a regular sight in recent weeks and are another species heading for Iceland, while single greenshank were seen on 9/4 and again on 16/4. Six ringed plover were also present on 16/4 with a further three on 30/4, while small numbers of dunlin have also been recorded on several occasions.
While most migrants have been summer arrivals, we’ve also recorded several outgoing winter migrants including a fieldfare on 21/4 and a brent goose on 24/4 and 25/4, while a pair of wigeon remained on the lagoons until 20/4.
Most of the waterbirds present will now remain for the breeding season and include up to three pairs of great crested grebe with two birds on nests. Mallard, moorhen and Canada geese have all been seen with young, while gadwall, tufted duck, coot and little grebe are likely to be nesting as well.
Other notable sightings included a ring-necked parakeet on 20/4, a naturalised feral species in the UK which has seen a gradual population expansion northwards in recent years. Individual red kites were over the reserve on 25/4 and 27/4, and there were further sightings of kingfisher on five dates over the past month.
Butterfly sightings have gradually become more frequent with orange tip (pictured) and speckled wood now being seen regularly, and comma, peacock and green-veined white also recorded. Dragonflies and damselflies seem to have been a little slower than usual to emerge, with the first azure damselfly seen on 7/5, and common blue and blue-tailed damselflies seen from 9/5.