Image: Curlew by Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)
I saw a curlew on the track down to the visitor centre this morning. I haven't seen one before and they are extraordinary birds with fantastic, long beaks!
Whilst speaking of the track, our warden staff and volunteers have done a fantastic job of smoothing out our entrance track which is now completely pothole free!
We've had lots of wildlife sightings this week, two garganey were seen at Hookers pit on the 15th! The garganey is Britains only migratory duck which flies here to breed from Africa.
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Birds such as marsh harriers have been seen building nests on the reserve. After this cold snap we expect to see more of our spring migrants flooding in soon.
Today, 6 Brent geese, marsh harriers, dunlins and snipes have been seen at Denge Marsh. Female and male smews, goldeneyes, tufted ducks and teals have been seen on Burrowes pit. This afternoon we also saw a small flock of avocets fly over Burrowes and oystercatchers and a raven have also been seen flying over the pit from the visitor centre. The slavonian and black necked grebes have been seen at New Diggings again today and 5 redpoll were spotted by Firth hide.
Other highlights this week include:
7 barnacle geese, pintails and 180 wigeon and over 70 teal at one time!
Bitterns, great white egrets, sparrowhawks and peregrines.
Golden and ringed plover at Denge Marsh, water rails and ruffs at the ARC.
A mediterranean gull flew briefly over Burrowes pit on the 13th.
Lots of little birds have been seen flitting about the reserve; stonechats and cetti's warblers by Denge Marsh, a brambling seen on the feeders, bearded and long-tailed tits, tree sparrows, reed buntings and chiffchaffs singing.
Who knows what next week will bring - hopefully some warmer weather!