A cooler week this week for the most part but this hasn't really translated into more wildlife sightings unfortunately. The traditional August slump is upon us. You might just have to be a bit more patient for your sightings. That's not to say there is nothing to see of course - there always is even if it's quieter than usual.
I've been all over the reserve this week, cutting banks to keep access open including the Waltons and Loxtons trails. On Monday we finally got the play area open again after months of closure due to the floods of winter. It gave us a chance to get all the maintenance and repair work that was needed to make it safe. This now means the only part of the reserve still closed is the short path up to the Loxtons screen. You can still access it by the longer route but will have to return that same way as the short flooded section forms part of the loop.
We also managed to cut some reeds and top some others off in front of both the first and second viewing platforms (VP1 & VP2) to hopefully improve visibility slightly. I will start cutting the islands in front of VP1 after my week off and this will slowly open up the area before we then rewet it for autumn/winter.
You don't always get to see a lot of wildlife when out on the machine cutting. You tend to be concentrating hard on where you are going, but I was lucky enough to encounter a Sparrowhawk at very close quarters in the north east section. As I watched it fly off across the reeds a Barn Owl flew out in front of me also - a powerful few seconds. Good to see an adult out hunting in the daylight hours in some ways. It means they are still feeding owlets - we know there are 2 in a nearby box.
Sparrowhawks have also been seen from VP1 and over the car park this week along with a Kestrel which has been making a guest appearance in the adjacent field to the car park on at least 3 days this week.
To add to the birds of prey theme a Red Kite was spotted from the Avalon Hide on Wednesday and a Buzzard followed me cutting banks for a short while on Monday.
Your most likely bird of prey to see would be the Marsh Harrier, although very few sightings of males over the past couple of weeks. Females and juveniles are being spotted daily though. A juvenile gave us a fly past at the Avalon Hide on Wednesday just minutes after our Red Kite sighting.
Look out for the browner plumage and ginger coloured cap to help with your IDs.
John Crispin has managed to capture an array of shots of a juvenile working the VP1 area:
Cormorants can also just about be seen here sunning themselves on the rails, although better views can be had if they are using the rafts over in Waltons on the other side of the track.
The occasional gull will give you a flyover too: Lesser Black Back or Black Headed your most likely suspects.
Great White Egrets still frequent the area but will remain well hidden until I can get those reeds cut, unless you can see them in flight. The Avalon Hide may be a better bet here, with frequent visits from Great White Egret and their smaller cousin the Little Egret. Some Cattle Egrets are also being seen locally but not often over the reserve.
From VP1 and the Avalon Hide, Bittern flights are still being seen suggesting that there are still late nests that are active. They can't have long to go though. This individual was seen by John Crispin at VP1 this week:
Over on Waltons you'll see a good number of Mallard and Gadwall - the majority in eclipse making ID's harder for us and general flight and behaviour very difficult or different for them.
There has been an Otter seen on a few occasions hunting around Waltons. If you see the ducks all moving away together rapidly keep scanning just in case. Walk the Waltons Loop or hang out at the Tor View Hide or screens for a while and wait - you never know. Great Crested Grebe families are still present and a Water Rail was spotted from the hide earlier in the week. We will get around to topping off the reeds here at some point soon but water levels in here are still higher than usual, so access might prove difficult for a while - it's not that easy underfoot in here at the best of times. Once clear, Water Rail sightings will increase no doubt and snipe and eventually Teal often enjoy this area over the winter months - yes, we are thinking about it already!
It's the passerines that are harder to come by. Bird song has decreased again I would say, although some birds will happily sing all year round, like Robins for example. Contact calls are more likely - definitely been hearing groups of Long Tailed Tits passing through and Treecreepers were calling to each other along the main path before VP1 - perhaps a small family group.
The feeders in the car park are busy with tits and finches feeding busily along with House Sparrow and the occasional visit from Great Spotted Woodpecker, which have also been seen along the main track.
Of course many of these birds are in moult - not making them flightless as such but perhaps not so efficient until their new plumage comes through. This dunnock is perhaps just coming out of a moult?
Whilst this female Chaffinch could be in a similar position although it could equally be a young bird (the eye perhaps lends to this idea?, but so obvious sign of the gape of a young bird - What do you think?):
Insects are perhaps a welcome distraction when birdlife is quiet. Plenty of dragonflies on the wing still: Brown Hawker, Southern Hawker, Emperor, Lesser Emperor, Black Tailed Skimmer, Ruddy darter and Common Darter all recorded.
For damselflies look out for: Blue Tailed, Common Blue, Banded Demoiselle, Azure, Red Eyed and Small Red Eyed.
Butterflies are also a firm favourite and fairly easy to learn as there are nit many species to see. The Whites can be tricky in flight. Look out for: Red Admiral, Peacock, Painted Lady, Brimstone, Green Veined White, Large White, Meadow Brown, Comma. Speckled Wood (pictured) and Gatekeeper (also pictured):
Speckled Wood (seen on main track)
Gatekeeper - not to be confused with the Meadow Brown. Look out for the two spots in "the eye" on the wing rather than one on Meadow Brown. Gatekeeper is also more orange than brown - I'd say its the opposite on Meadow Brown.
Great Green Bush Cricket has been spotted in the car park during the week and in the ponds a some lovely Water Stick Insects were caught during the family bioblitz even this morning.
We've had a few moths on the blog lately and here's another. Red Underwing spotted on the catering building this week - happy to be corrected if our ID is wrong:
Before moths come caterpillars - this one is a monster. We think it is from Deaths Head Hawkmoth and was sent in by visitor Terry Stock this week - seen on the main path through the reserve - careful where you tread:
I'm running out of time as always so I'd better quickly round up the rest:
Cranes have been spotted on a couple of occasions this week. Still to the west (left) and in front of the Avalon Hide near the old water pump windmill. The fact that they are still present (even if grounded for most of the time) suggests all is well with the (very well grown by now) chick. 2 Ravens flew over VP1 on Wednesday, groups of Swallows seen each day (including over the car park), Great Crested Grebe parents giving rides to chicks on their backs in front of the Avalon Hide, a few flights from a Jay up and down the main drain including passing in front of VP1, Common Lizard & Grass Snake both seen from the old rail bridge - including this morning, Swift and House Martin both spotted passing through, Hobby seen at a few locations but sightings seem limited - look high on hotter days (the insects will be flying higher in general too), Kingfisher seen near the Avalon Hide, pinging heard by Bearded Tits on the way to the Avalon Hide and Grey Herons seen fishing along the main drain.
I'll leave it there for now, time has run out. Thanks to those contributors of photos this week: John Crispin, Mike Pearce, Terry Stock and my colleague Abbie for the moth photos.
No Blog next week as I am on annual leave but it should return the following week.
Until then - happy wildlife hunting!