What a whirlwind few weeks it has been! Spring migrants have been flying in from all directions, booming has been heard from two male bitterns across the reserve and many birds are building their nests. The first cuckoo of the year was seen and heard yesterday which is the loveliest of sounds that fills you with joy knowing summer is on its way.
We've also had a nightingale on the reserve, another bird with an incredible song. This has been seen at the ARC side of the reserve. Important nightingale habitat is currently under threat in the north of Kent, please help us save Lodge Hill from housing development by clicking here for more information.
Image: Nightingale - Andy Hay
Other migrant birds we've had arrive include wheatear, whitethroat and lesser whitethroat, yellow wagtails and a hobby as well as swallows and sand martins and garganey. We've also seen our ring-necked duck, pintail, white fronted geese, peregrines and black-necked grebes.
Image: Black-necked grebes - Graham Parry
Lots of waders have been noted too such as snipe, whimbrel, ringed and little ringed plover, greenshank, spotted redshank and bar-tailed godwits.
Image: Ringed plover - Graham Parry
We are also noticing an increase in invertebrates such as bumblebees and butterflies including lots of small coppers and peacock butterflies, which makes the reserve look a lot more spring-like. We’ve been surveying great crested newts and are pleased to see lots in the ponds at the moment. Grass snakes and common lizards have also been quite active and seen basking in the sunshine that we have been so lucky to have. Our pond dipping activities came up trumps in the Easter holidays as we managed to catch lots of medicinal leeches, diving beetles, water scorpions and lots of water boatmen as well as many other creepy crawlies!
Image: Pond dipping - by Andrew Norman