A sunny day at Greylake provides a great opportunity for close up views of swallows, swifts and house martins. There are many birds that encapsulate the sheer wonder of flight yet maybe none so joyfully as swallows.
The first brood of the year are now on the wing with their parents and at times large parties can be seen flying all around the front of the hide. Often they will come down to the water in front of the hide to drink while on the wing. Last Saturday it was clear to see that some of the birds gently skim the water, barely making contact, and yet some of the birds almost dip their whole head in the water making quite a splash. I can only assume that the ‘messy’ drinkers are the youngsters who haven’t yet refined their flying skills to their parents standards.
The young are still being fed by their parents and this again can give fantastic views. Take a look through the withy screen as you approach the hide. Young swallows are often sat on the fences, only 20 feet or so beyond this screen, waiting for their parents to feed them. Some of the youngsters can feed very enthusiastically! Lynne Newton (photographer) has sent us some fantastic photos taken at Greylake.
Other families being seen more regularly include stoats which, if you are lucky, can be seen around the boardwalks on the way to the hide. Stoats seem to have so much energy that they don’t know what to do with it at the best of times so when the kits get together there is always something going on.
The reed and sedge warblers continue to give great views, as do the reed buntings. A hobby was also seen hunting the many dragonflies that fly over the reserve.