Gale force winds blew in at least 2 Spoonbills to our reserve on Tuesday! These magnificent birds took shelter on Burrowes pit and at the ARC to feast up whilst the winds made flying pretty impossible. We had wonderful views from the warmth and dry of the visitor centre!
Spoonbill - Martin Casemore
Our beautiful yet very vocal Oystercatchers have also finally made up their minds on where they would like to nest. After flicking between the visitor centre roof, one of the islands and the gull nest box; they decided to choose the cosy platform. Which lucky for us, is right in front of the visitor centre window! We look forward to watching their progress in the coming weeks.
Nesting Oystercatcher - Louise Kelly
Another exciting visitor this week has been a Cattle Egret. Where? You guessed it, hanging out with the herd of cows that are on our reserve again.
Cattle egret with cow - Graham Parry
Lots of swifts have also been seen soaring above the reserve. You may notice them whizzing above the rooftops near you 'screeching' at each other as they catch insects in the air. Swifts are in serious decline, with their breeding numbers falling by 47% between 1995-2015. Help us help swifts by clicking here and recording your swift sightings! We believe loss of nesting sites is partly responsible for swifts decline. They like to nest in eaves of buildings or gaps under roof tiles. Modern development of buildings means less of these are available to swifts. You can give them a hand by purchasing a swift nest box, giving them a place to return to year after year.
Swifts - Louise Kelly