So did all that singing, scrapping, showing off, strutting around and nest-building pay off? Oh yes! There’s definitely a baby boom going on here at Frampton Marsh.
Mute swan cygnets and Canada goslings can be found on the freshwater lagoons and ditches and a family of shovelers has been frequenting the wet grassland and pools near the lower car park. Mallard ducklings come very close to the visitor centre, delighting our younger (and older!) guests. Children seem to just naturally halt conversations while the ducklings swim past and resume talking when they’ve gone by. I always think we have a lot to learn from children. It’s as though we’re supposed to be quiet, treasuring the moment.
Wader chicks can be seen running about at the feet of their protective parents. Avocets and lapwings are relatively easy to spot and we’re increasingly seeing tiny redshanks in among the adults. Black-headed gull chicks are clearly visible on the islands now, the alarm-calls of the adults ringing out every now and then as the squadron is scrambled to see off a predatory herring or lesser black-backed gull. Will you be the first to spot a common tern chick emerging from under a parent’s wing? We’re expecting them anytime soon!
Adult tree sparrows and goldfinches are bringing their youngsters to the feeders at the visitor centre where a nest cam is projecting live images from our swallows’ nest onto the screen inside. The female appears to be doing most of the sitting while the male keeps watch from the rafters outside, right above the visitor centre windows!
Toby, our trusty warden has seen the first of this year’s linnets and there are large flocks of noisy juvenile starlings flying around and feeding on the wet grassland fields. I’ve seen a lovely family party of long-tailed tits in the hedgerow and the blue tits have been incredibly busy feeding their chicks in the nestboxes in the garden next to our offices. They must be ready to fly any day now. I’m sure it’s the same in many of your gardens where you’re “giving nature a home.” If your own box hasn’t attracted any occupants this year, there’s plenty of information about nestboxes on the RSPB’s website: www.rspb.org.uk
With a bit of luck you might be able to find a young brown hare on the reserve. (Young hares are called leverets.) There are plenty around. Everyone’s got their own favourites so why not come down to the reserve and see this year’s offspring for yourself. Our volunteers and staff will be more than willing to point you in the right direction.
Murray Brown
Visitor Experience Intern
An adult avocet patrolling the sky above its chicks. This fantastic image was taken by Christian Butterfield who visited Frampton Marsh on Sunday 7th June.