As the weather finally warms up a bit this week, we are seeing flurries of activity from our wildlife. We've had a few more wheatear pop into the reserve, a few late arrivals to the UK. Also, we've had a regular spotted flycatcher seen on the reserve this week, which has been nice to have something different around to point out to our bird watching visitors.
Spotted flycatcher - Graham Parry
The warmer weather has also increased sightings of common lizards and grass snakes. These have been found basking on the pebbles or the sleepers and on/under the mats in the Discovery Area. These are such delightful reptiles to see, so it is well worth looking down at the ground as well as at the sky, to see if you can spot one!
Common lizard - Emma Coletti
We have LOTS of babies on the reserve at the moment. There are huge creches of greylag and Canadian geese in the Boulderwall fields and out on Denge Marsh. The mute swans who were nesting by the entrance track now have two cygnets following them around. There are lots of fox cubs on the reserve and baby rabbits. The nest boxes around the visitor centre are filled with great tits and blue tits (as well as the hides). Coots and grebes have had their babies on various lakes and ponds around the site too.
Mute swan with cygnet - Graham Parry
After disappearing for a few weeks after their arrival, the common terns are back with us. The water level on Burrowes has dropped slightly, despite the wet month, so we hope they will nest successfully with us again this year.
The weekend is set to be nice, so I hope you will consider visiting us and soaking up the (rare) good weather that Dungeness is predicted over the next few days. We also have some self-led trails for our younger visitors to take part in next week, so please do ask about them when you arrive at our welcome area.
Discovering worms - Louise Kelly