Summary from July to early September

Yesterday's version hasn't formatted properly, so I'm trying again with the paragraphs in the right places, but I can see that it hasn't worked. Apologies to anyone who prefers to read a properly- structured article. End of paragraph. One of the highlights of the breeding season was the fledging of two lapwing chicks from the single pair that nested by the mere. On the downside, the bearded tits didn’t stay to breed, we had only two turtle doves holding territory, and no grasshopper warblers were seen for the second year running. End of paragraph. While some birds were still nesting in July, others were on the move. Black-tailed godwits, greenshank, and green and common sandpipers all stopped off at the edge of the mere, where they joined the yellow wagtails that passed through daily; up to 11 of the latter were seen at once. Migrant highlight of the month was a couple of juvenile common crossbills that perched briefly in a dead tree before continuing their journey in a southerly direction. End of paragraph. Migration really picked up in August, when eight species of waders were recorded. A post-breeding flock of up to 50 lapwings was often seen by the mere, where they were joined by a redshank on the 11th, an astonishing flock of 13 greenshanks on the 20th, and the reserve’s second ruff on the 27th. The first common snipes of the autumn appeared on the 11th, and a whimbrel flew over on the 24th. In the scrub and hedgerows, a family party of seven spotted flycatchers were present for one evening on the 9th, and several redstarts were seen. Reserve rarities came in the form of a raven on 20th, a juvenile yellow-legged gull on 24th, and a two-barred crossbill seen and heard on 7th. There has been a major influx into Britain of this small crossbill this year. End of paragraph. Warblers were much in evidence in early September, feeding on the abundant crop of elder berries and insects in the scrub and reedbeds; all nine breeding species were seen and/or heard (no grasshopper warblers this year). The lapwing flock peaked at 62, and small numbers of ducks appeared (teal, wigeon, shoveler and tufted duck). The first meadow pipits started to arrive and a couple of juvenile marsh harriers passed through, but a merlin on the 8th was unexpected this early in the autumn. Another juvenile yellow-legged gull on the mere on the 10th was not entirely unexpected, as there are several among the hundreds of lesser black-backed gulls in the fields around the reserve. End of paragraph. Kingfishers haven’t bred on the reserve in recent years, but a male was seen catching fish in the mere and then carrying them off the reserve along the Shep. Then in July a family of four appeared, and they have been seen frequently from all the hides. Some excellent photos have been taken, the best of which can be seen on the reserve’s web page (http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/placestovisit/fowlmere/m/fowlmere-mediagallery/default.aspx) and on the Cambridgeshire Bird Club website (http://cambsbirdclub.blogspot.co.uk/). One was even chosen as Picture of the Month for August! Little interest has been shown in our new kingfisher nesting bank so far, but I anticipate some territorial activity as we go into winter. End of paragraph. Kingfisher watchers have also been rewarded with frequent sightings of an otter, most often at Drewer Hide but also in the mere. Suspicions that there was a family near Drewer Hide were confirmed on 10th September, when a female was watched as it moved two cubs (one at a time) away from the area. Unfortunately that means that the recent run of daily sightings will probably cease. However, the strikingly patterned leucistic water rail is still entertaining patient observers at Drewer Hide. End of paragraph. If you are tempted to visit, please remember that most of what is seen is only as a result of the management work that we do, most of which is done during our weekly work parties on Thursdays. We try to work in front of only one hide at any one time, but sometimes that is not possible if we are to get the work done.