Bitterns are ready for the breeding season at Dungeness again. Currently the count is two booming males on the reserve. They’ve been doing so for about a week now so we’re sure the females are well aware they’re there and are hopefully very impressed!
Another bird making lots of funny noises on the reserve is the lapwings. Did you know that other common names for the lapwing include ‘peewit’, ‘teewhuppo’ and ‘peasiewheep’ because of their distinctive calls that accompany their tumbling display flight? We currently have one nest recorded on the reserve with three precious eggs inside.
Sedge warblers and Cetti’s warblers are belting out their songs across the reserve. A Cetti’s count in progress (thanks to Steve Broyd) has so far found over 60 Cetti’s on the reserve, and it’s starting to seem like everywhere you go you can hear a sedge warbler!
Our first cuckoo has arrived from Africa; a day ahead of the traditional schedule which predicts their arrival to be on St. Tiburtius Day, 14th April. The sly cuckoo, who gave the habit of cuckoldry its name, is a species on the IUCN red list with a decreasing population.
The return trail is once again open after the wet winter had flooded the path.
We are also now up to full force with our team at Dungeness as we welcome: Dan Snowdon as our new Assistant Warden based at Lydden Valley, Louise Kelly as our new Visitor Experience Officer, and Charlotte Bartlett and Michelle Clifford as our new Retail Assistants.