Apologies to anyone who thinks I should be posting more often. I did write something about our first chiffchaffs last week, but it disappeared off somewhere never to be seen again.
Anyway, the first chiffchaff was heard on 8th March, which is a few days earlier than usual, and by the end of last week there were at least eight singing at the reserve. We then had to wait nearly a fortnight before the next summer visitors turned up - blackcap and wheatear on 21st March. It won't be long before we start to see other species, with swallows, sand martins and little ringed plovers already seen not far away
Some of the winter visitors are still with us - dozens of redwings and fieldfares have been feeding on the short turf adjacent to the reserve, and roosting within. There are still up to 40 teal on the mere and in the ditches. Some teal always stay into April and every year I hope they will breed, but they never have (yet). Recently they have been joined by a pair of shovelers; it would be great if they nested, as they never have before either.
Lately there have been some nice sunny days, when the resident birds have been singing their hearts out and various raptors have been soaring overhead. We are well used to buzzards these days, but we also seem to have a red kite hanging around (five sightings in March so far), and a male marsh harrier has been seen twice this month.
Our resident barn owls are still showing well. With a little help from me, the interior of their nest box has been organised so that one is usually visible at the entrance, although it does withdraw if anyone approaches too closely.
Doug