A quick summary of this week's highlights start with the trio of crowd drawing Temminck's Stints from last week which remained until the 24th but haven't put in an appearance since.
Unfortunately the best bird of the week can't be added to the reserve list as it was 'off piste'. A couple of Quail were heard giving their distinctive 'wet my lips' song from neighbouring fields on the 26th but unfortunately didn't hang around.
The main crowd pleasers this week have been the 'Where is it?' 'Not here' 'There it is' 'Oh yes' Where is it now?' 'No idea' Spoonbill that will suddenly appear from out of nowhere and disappear in the same binocular scan (still present at time of writing) and our territorial Turtle Doves which were seen mating right outside the office. The cross bank and yard outside the grain stores are the best place to catch up with this iconic but dwindling farmland migrant.
Spoonbill - Richard and Bridget Lowe
Geese numbers have reduced considerably bar the newest additions from the Canada Geese. Brent Geese are nudging into double figures and this will probably remain the case until the Autumn. The Australian Wood Duck popped up once more and a single Barnacle Goose has been in among the Greylag Geese. Garganey have also been regularly seen from East Hide but have been learning hide and seek from the Spooner and can vanish just as effectively.
One bird that many do seem to pass over is the hybrid Pochard x Tufted Duck, or much catchier Tuftchard. It can be found hanging around on the reedbed to the left of the Visitor Centre or on Middle Scrape.
Tuftchard
Coot chicks have started to pop up all over the place and can often be heard before being seen as they can tuck into the reeds close to the patch edges.
Coot - Neil Smith
It is Lapwing chicks that span the biggest range though with a quartet of fledged birds down near the sea bank car park while in the same patch of wet grassland there are still birds on nests. Avocets will soon dominate the chick seen as they 'walk' their young off the islands they bred on and onto more suitable feeding areas. This may leave more space for Common Terns which are squeezing onto islands in any gaps they can find.
Several high tides towards the end of the week have brought in the waders, the highlights of which have been Curlew Sandpiper (including a tricky individual in non-breeding plumage), Little Stint, Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit, Grey Plover, Whimbrel, Turnstone, Ringed Plover and a few Dunlin. Some of the previous are in excellent summer dress, with Knot and Bar-tailed Godwit in rich red hues while Grey Plover look spangletastic with their black bellies and silvery mantles.
The three 1st summer Little Gulls remain but after the recent rains have been quite mobile round the reserve, feeding over the wet grassland and scrapes as well as returning to their usual haunt on the reedbed. Mediterranean Gulls are splitting their time between the reedbed and north scrape, with the best chance to see them being from the Reedbed Hide or Visitor Centre as they preen on exposed islands.
No repeat of last weeks Black Terns, though the Common Terns nesting here are very bold indeed and can hunt metres from you as they dive into our fish rich ditches.
Common Tern - Neil Smith
Careful scrutiny of the Marsh Farm barn area can be rewarded with views of the Little Owl which is back in residence, and an early morning/late evening stroll is your best chance to catch up with our local Barn Owls.
The pouring rain which made up the majority of the weather this week wasn't great for our grounds nesting birds and chicks (or wardens who had to chase around making sure no eggs got flooded out) but did provide some fantastic views of Swifts with over a hundred sweeping low and fast across the reserve. The low pressure systems keeps insects low down and therefore keeps those that feed on them low down too.
Skylarks continue to lead the reserves songsters, dominating the soundwaves of the open reserve with Reed and Sedge Warbler being the accomplished backing singers. In the hedgerows there are still the occasional bursts of song but June is the month when many birds start to feed young and opportunities to sing are few and far between.
Skylark - Neil Smith
With many of our wildflowers starting to bloom we can now start to see more butterflies on the wing. Lots of Common Blues are flitting along the track to the 360 hide and a Small Heath was along the sea wall on the 27th. Along with butterflies it's worth keeping an eye out for moths. Several of the day flying Silver Y have been around the Visitor Centre and a Mother Shipton moth was with them on the 25th.
Mother Shipton - George Polden
That's all for this week. The wet weather hampered both sightings and photos but thank you to all contributors who made it down to see us.
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Enjoy your weekend and good birding.
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