Well it's certainly busy down on the reserve with new arrivals turning up everyday, garganey, sedge warbler and now whitethroat. Not wasting any time a whitethroat has already been seen carrying nesting material. So as well as the business of nest building there is in addition the all important work of finding a mate to share it with consequently the air is alive with the sound of territorial claims and declarations of 'love'. Such is the pressure of this that there can be no time for relaxing over breakfast as I witnessed today when a blackcap's flutey song ceased only for a couple of seconds for it to eat a nearby Ivy berry and then return to its sonorous work of the day.
With food still relatively scarce the berries of the common ivy (Helix hedera) provide a welcome addition to a birds diet at a time where large amounts of energy are required to be in best condition for attracting a mate and breeding.