I was delighted that the rain had stayed away long enough for me to have a wander around and talk to visitors on the reserve. As far as people were concerned the rain had made it a quiet day but bird song was everywhere, enough to lift my soul! I sat in Pickup Hide listening to the cheeky chatter of our beautiful tree sparrows and I watched the aerobatic display of sand martins as they soared overhead catching insects before dive bombing down and swooping into the sand martin wall. This year we have far more sand martins using the wall, I estimated at least 6 pairs.
Sand Martins
Through the long grass I managed to spot a roe deer which I quickly pointed out to a couple walking past, much to their enjoyment. We started talking about marsh harriers on the reserve, I had only just explained that I hadn’t seen one recently when within 10 minutes, as if on cue, a marsh harrier appeared! We sat and watched as it soared over the trees and reedbeds sailing away over the top of the ridge. Amazing timing!
Roe Deer
At Pickup hide we spoke to another lady reminiscing about visiting the reserve as a young girl. We spoke about the kingfisher which she and a few other visitors in the hide were very keen to see! A small group of people arrived at the hide with some young boys, I pointed out the family of coots along the way which the boys were very enthusiastic about; they even wanted to take them home! They also asked about frogs so I pointed them in the direction of the pond dipping area.
Continuing along the Discovery Trail with a chiffchaff call for company, I came upon a pair of azure damselflies coupling in the familiar cartwheel shape - a brilliant blue against the greenery around the ponds. On route to the kingfisher screen the previous lady and the family group from Pickup Hide were returning very excited that they had seen the kingfisher at the screen!
Azure damselflies
Climbing up Red Shale road, followed by several singing willow warblers and a cuckoo I met a visitor who stopped me to tell me that the slavonian grebe could be seen clearly at Bob Dicken’s hide so I decided to head that way. Continually on the lookout for a chiffchaff now I had seen the willow warbler. Along the pathways I spotted newly emerged ragged robin alongside all the other wild flowers and the gentle hum of bees. Ahead of me fluttered an orange tip butterfly followed by a speckled wood settling long enough for me to nab a quick photo!
speckled wood butterfly
An orange coloured slug was slowly making its way across the path which I dodged carefully before looking up catch a quick glance of a chiffchaff. Arriving at Bob Dicken’s hide I waited to see the slavonian grebe. I spotted shelducks, coots, mallards, great crested grebes and even a grey heron wading silently into the bushes from the hide. The island was full of black-headed gulls, swans, canada geese and greylag geese but sadly no slavonian grebe...next time! Walking back I heard a green woodpecker laughing as if mocking me and got a lovely photo of a chiffchaff and a willow warbler!
Red slug
Back at Red Shale road I spotted a cuckoo flying overhead. I managed to follow it into the trees with my binoculars and caught a blurred photo ...it too seemed to mock my efforts with its call! Wandering back to the Kingfisher Screen, I could hear a blackcap singing its noisy chattering song. I managed to catch a quick glimpse of a blue flash diving into the stream before the kingfisher disappeared. Back at the visitor centre and enjoying a well earned bottle of water, a brilliant yellow, fluttered before me - a male brimstone. What a pity I hadn’t shared my afternoon with a few more people...
If you would like to walk with a ranger around the site, please call into the Visitor centre and ask.