I've got rather a lot to get through this week. I've been sent a plethora of photographs from a number of people - thank you to all have sent some in. I will have to save some as I simply cannot use them all (about 80+).
I'm also away for 2 weeks - I mentioned it in last week's blog, so I'm going to have to try and entice you to visit whilst I'm away too. The blog will return in 3 weeks therefore.
Some good news is I have begun to cut the reed islands in front of the first viewing platform (VP1) - bad news is it will now most likely stop for 2 weeks, unless other staff can squeeze in some cutting into their hectic schedules. The front island is cut - the one with the artificial Sand Martin bank on it - a Great White Egret has already been spotted feeding here this morning. I was flushing it whilst cutting along with a Little Egret which was nearby. A visitor also reported a juvenile Wheatear perched on top of the Sand Martin box on Monday.
We will also top off the taller reeds at some point to make viewing easier. The Whitethroats have fledged but an individual was spotted here during the week.
Lots of birds are even beginning to gather together - Long Tailed Tits a classic example. A large group was seen by Robin Morrison on Monday mixed in with Great Tit, Blue Tit and some warblers (Chiffchaff would be a good guess here). He sent in this rather damp looking individual, which studied him as he went past. It had been a misty start leaving lots of the vegetation pretty wet. Thanks also to Sandie Andrews for her shot taken this week - they are cute aren't they?:
The cutting over in Waltons at the Tor View Hide has been welcome - offering better views on that side. It can be a good place to spot Water Rail (you can often hear them in this area). Thanks to John Crispin who captured these shots of a well grown juvenile this week:
To John's delight a juvenile Bearded Tit was also present here and was joined at one point by a Sedge Warbler. Thanks John:
Other juvenile birds can be spotted from here such as several young Great Crested Grebes of various sizes and Little Grebe also. Thanks again to John Crispin for his shot of an adult, a juvenile then both together for feeding:
Very occasional Bittern flights are being seen now, although 2were seen over Waltons on Monday. Marsh Harrier activity is also slightly reduced now fledging has been complete for a good couple of weeks. Adults and juveniles can still be spotted around the reserve daily. This juvenile flew over Waltons on Monday - thanks to John Crispin for his image:
Other young birds can still be spotted such as this young Reed Warbler from last week. It was spotted by Sandie Andrews (thanks for the photo)at the car park pools, it was seen being fed by the adult, then dropped it wings and looked very dejected when the adult left. I'm still hearing a little bit of chatter from Reed Warblers around the reserve:
Close by Sandie also spotted this young Robin on one of the benches. It pose is strange - could just be sunbathing but perhaps like the Heron of last week's blog it is trying to rid tself of parasites etc
The car park has been good for a number of wildlife sightings - insects in particular. A Hummingbird Hawkmoth was seen on Monday and a good number of butterflies are still being spotted. There was a butterfly walk on Sunday - thankfully the weather held and they spotted 13 species of butterfly: Red Admiral, Peacock, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Large White, Green Veined White, Small White, Brimstone, Speckled Wood, Brown Argus, Small Copper, Common Blue and Holly Blue. Small Tortoiseshell were absent - adding to my suspicions that they have had a really bad year. Think I have seen one in the last fortnight - normally pretty abundant.
Thanks to Alison Uren for the information and thanks to Mike Uren for his photos of Brown Argus, Peacock and Speckled Wood:
Thanks also to Mike Pearce for sending in his Holly Blue shots:
I'll stick with the insect theme as there is quite a lot of activity from these and people have been snapping away merrily. I can't promise we have the IDs alll correct but we'll give it a try. Always happy to be corrected.
Dragonflies and damselflies are still on the wing. For Dragonflies look out for: Emperor, Southern Hawker, Migrant Hawker, Brown Hawker, Ruddy Darter and Common Darter. Thanks to Mike Pearce for his shots of Migrant Hawker (female) and Common Darter (female) and to Mike Uren for his image of a male Migrant Hawker:
For damselflies look out for: Blue Tailed, Azure, Common Blue, Red Eyed and Small Red eyed. Thanks to Mike Pearce for his pictures of Red Eyed female, Small Red eyed male and Azure male and to Mike Uren for his shot of Blue Tailed Damselfly:
Plenty of other weird and wonderful invertebrates out there. You may have notice the Hornets using one of the bird boxes in the little garden behind the Welcome Building at the car park. When I looked yesterday it seemed they were now using 2 boxes. Thanks to Sandie Andrews and Andrew Kirby who have sent in shots this week:
Hoverflies are pretty commonplace too. Here's a few to look at:
Helophilus sp?
Sphaerophoria taeniata? Mike Uren
Id for hoverflies is quite tricky from what I understand. Bumblebees are a little easier. Here we have Common Carder. Thanks to Sandie Andrews and John Crispin who have sent me in shots this week:
Also this one from Sandie Andrews. As I can't quite see the tail I know it's either White tailed or Buff Tailed Bumblebee. Thanks Sandie:
Now it gets even more complicated. Here's our best guesses:
Roesel's Bush Cricket - Sandie Andrews:
Sawfly sp. Mike Pearce:
Flesh Fly possibly - Sarcophaga carnaria. Sandie Andrews:
Wolf Spider with egg sack (carrying hundreds of eggs - once hatched there will be carried away on the breeze on fine threads) - Sandie Andrews:
and finally for now on the insects. Black Fungus Gnat - a lot of these of the umbelliferous plants at the car park such as Hemlock, Hogweed and Wild Carrot. Mike Uren:
Wild Carrot (I think) curling up and going to seed - Sandie Andrews:
Thanks to all those contributors - it's a whole new world out there. It makes me realise just how little I know and how much there is to learn.
The car park is obviously a great place to start your visit - listen out for the call of the Chiffchaff and Goldfinch. I've also heard Green Woodpecker this week and seen one or two Swallows resting on the telegraph wires.
Look out also for the Slow Worm which has been seen again in the flower beds near the toilets. There is one less now however as this Magpie has helped itself to one this week. Thanks to John Crispin for his images:
Grass Snakes again are being seen at the old rail bridge (3 there on Monday). Thanks to Robin Morrison for his shot of one - note also the Red Underwing moth resting nearby:
We still believe this bridge is a hibernation site for Grass Snake and Adders. WE have very few Adders locally and they are quite small and isolated populations, so will be doing what we can to help them by looking after any hibernation sites sympathetically and creating some extra hibernation spots for them across the local nature reserves.
These 2 were spotted over the weekend under the tower hide on Shapwick Heath. Many thanks to Steve Edwards for sending them in:
Mammal sightings are as always harder to come by. AS I mentioned last week though there seem to be more Rabbits around - I'm seeing them more frequently at the car park and along the main track. Thanks again to Robin Morrison who spotted this little one close to VP1 on Monday:
Roe deer is the other most likely sighting. The mother and two young, that I've mentioned in previous blogs, were spotted close to the Avalon Hide this morning. Another sighting of a Individual around the Waltons Trail. I surprised one whilst out reed cutting yesterday - it ran off the side of the bank pretty quickly as if its life depended on it and this one was seen by Mike Pearce this week just across the drain as he passed over the old rail bridge. Thanks Mike:
The Avalon Hide offers visits from Marsh Harriers, Great Crested Grebes, Great White Egrets and the odd Bittern flight. A Sparrowhawk has been seen here on at least 2 occasions this week too and look out across the reserve now for increasing numbers of Shoveler and the return of Wigeon and Teal (both seen at the second viewing platform this week (VP2).
This Grey Heron was spotted on the path to the Avalon Hide this week - it's stayed dry enough here despite some heavy rain. Thanks to Sandie Andrews for her photo:
Also this week: Great Spotted Woodpecker seen daily, Buzzards watching me closely whilst reed cutting, Kestrel spotted at VP2 on Wednesday, Pintail also seen at VP2 this week, Glow Worm found at the car park for the second week running, Jersey Tiger Moth seen at the car park, House Martins seen passing over, Blackcap and Willow Warbler both recorded at VP1, Spotted Flycatcher seen over the drain from the old rail bridge on Wednesday, Ravens seen and heard flying over and Iberian Water Frogs heard croaking at a few places (Waltons and Loxtons good places to try). Thanks to Robin Morrison for his shot of one in full croak:
I'm going to have to leave it there. It's given you plenty to think about over the next couple of weeks. If it's not enough to sustain you, you will just have to come out and visit us and take a good look for yourself. There's amazing things to see, even when our feathered friends are a little on the quiet side. Things will start moving around soon enough.
Thanks for reading and to all those who contributed their wonderful images and information. Have a great weekend.