Apologies for the missing blog from last Friday. We were out on a site visit over on the Mendips looking at various designs and methodologies of building hibernaculum for over wintering snakes/reptiles. We are planning to build some of our own here on some patches of slightly higher ground (there's not much,) to help our resident Adders in particular - they will also be of use to small mammals and many different invertebrates.
It was enjoyable to visit a completely different habitat and connect with the AONB and learn about what they are up to. Communication and collaboration across conservation bodies is vital if we are going to save nature. Particularly, enjoyed seeing a good number of Spotted Flycatchers and some insect rich meadows. It meant I was too late back to get the blog done so, it's a double helping of photos this week to write around.
Back on home soil, the best news of the week for me came on Wednesday. Our juvenile Common Crane was spotted once more by one of our volunteers. This time it made a short flight of about 20-30m but was mobbed by a female Marsh Harrier whilst doing so perhaps a warning - " for future reference - don't mess with me". It mobbed it a while longer after landing before heading off. It's great news though to know it is still alive and well (although we expected as much given that the parents are still in the location). Both parents have been seen this week in flight but not often and not for long each time. The mother (a ringed bird called Meg) was seen this morning. Look to the left of the hide just beyond the old wind pump for your best chance - but I make no promises.
Marsh Harriers have been pretty active here too - although it seems far more activity from females, than males at the moment. This female has obviously been working hard - looking a little dishevelled:
The same female seen below with 2 different food items. First in the beak and then one in the talons, although they often pass food items from beak to talons in flight.
This male was snapped last week by John Crispin from the first viewing platform (VP1) also carrying a prey item:
It seems that there are a lot of small chicks going missing out there but I guess if your broods are big enough some will always get through to maturity.
Those caught all go to feeding these guys. This a fledged Marsh Harrier seen from the second Viewing platform (VP2) on Sunday by Sandie Andrews. Note the much browner look of the bird and the gingery coloured cap of the juvenile:
A female Marsh Harrier was also spotted from VP1 yesterday catching a fish before taking it off and hiding for 10 minutes or so before leaving with empty talons.
This Lesser Black Backed Gull also swooped in to catch a fish this week at the Avalon Hide:
Plenty of other juvenile birds out there being spotted - some more obvious, or easier to spot than others. This juvenile Grey Heron was spotted perched on the tern rafts at Waltons, trying successfully , although not very gracefully to catch a fish - you've got to learn somehow I suppose:
Perhaps the same heron also spotted on the raft last week by Sandie Andrews:
Great Crested Grebe young can also be spotted around the Waltons section - many at different stages of development. Some large and moving off on their - perhaps the parents have a new, younger brood to look after. Smaller chicks can also be spotted swimming with parents or perched on their backs and it even looks as though their is a parent sat on a new nest in front of the Tor View Hide - so quite a late brood possible here.
Here are 2 youngsters (part of a brood of 4) taken last week at Waltons:
Broods of Mallard can still be seen along with Moorhen and Coot. Below shows 2 young Coots of different ages seen at Waltons last week (although I'm not sure what the older bird is up to):
Groups of Cygnets are being seen - I wasn't seeing many a few weeks ago but now there seems to be a good number across the reserve - a nice group of 7 with parents between Waltons and Loxtons yesterday and these spotted last week:
This Great White Egret is a young ringed bird although from the shot it is hard to read the letters. 32 have been ringed this season.
Plenty of Great White Egrets can be seen all around the Avalon Marshes. The Avalon Hide offers good views of these either in flight or on the ground feeding/fishing such as this adult bird photographed by John Crispin last week - note the bill colour still in breeding colour - it will turn to yellow eventually and the lores will lose the bright green colour:
Above the water a few juvenile bearded tits have been seen recently too. The Avalon Hide area is usually the best place for visitors (see Sandie's shot below) but 2 were also seen in the Waltons area yesterday by Mike Uren who managed to grab a couple of shots:
Bearded Tit juveniles: Mike Uren
You may well see young birds or family groups along the main track during your visit. I had noticed, last week, a collection of snail shells at a particular point on the path. This is often an indicator that a Song Thrush has a favourite stone to use as an anvil for smashing snail shells. This juvenile is perhaps the culprit here. Not sure that's what I would choose for lunch:
Other birds are still very much feeding young still on nests. I saw a Robin carrying food this morning and any Bittern flights (although they are reducing) is often likely to be a female on a mission to feed young such as these two below. The first from last week and the second from this. Note the lovely plumage on the upper wing in the first shot. One was also seen feeding on the ground in front of the Avalon Hide this morning:
A bird, not seen often - particularly outside of breeding season. Another is the Barn Owl. We undertook our annual Barn Owl box checking with Chris Sperring from the Hawk and Owl Trust who is licensed to do such things. I must say I had low expectations as we had had so few sightings lately. It's good news however. We have two active nests containing young owlets.
The first nest, to the north of the site had 2 owlets at 3 to 4 weeks old which had been fed within about an hour of arrival as Chris could feel them digesting food as he held them.
The second nest is in the woods to the very left of the Avalon Hide - not the most visible box unfortunately but one slightly further to the north at the opposite end. Hanging tree branches are obscuring it from the hide. 3 youngsters here, slightly older, perhaps 6-7 weeks old. Getting their colours and old enough to sex them (2 males and one female). Far better news than I was expecting, so I was a very happy warden. Big thanks to Chris for taking the time to come and visit us and ring all 5 owlets.
Other birds of prey are being spotted such as Buzzard most days (old rail bridge this morning) and Sparrowhawk. One was seen swooping into the reeds in front of the Avalon Hide this morning and then carried off prey - perhaps a young Bearded Tit or Reed Bunting?
Hobby have been seen every day this week and sometimes more than one. Monday saw 2 Hobby, 2 Buzzards and a Marsh Harrier all soaring on thermals over the car park. A little later 4 Hobby were seen together too and again on Wednesday. This one was seen by John Crispin from VP1 this week:
Plenty of dragonflies for them to munch on - you can often see them catching them in flight and devouring them whilst on the wing.
Four Spotted Chasers are still a round but not in the numbers of a month or so ago. Waltons Trail still a good place to try:
Plenty of Emperors seen this week (our biggest dragonfly) but look out also for Lesser Emperor - a dragonfly becoming far more common here over the last couple of years. The photo below shows a female ( I think - happy to be corrected) but the males have a large blue patch (or saddle) to help ID them:
Norfolk Hawkers are also being seen - just a few though. They are brown with large green eyes and clear wings. Don't confuse them with Brown Hawker (no green eyes) which also have a brown tint to their wings too.
You may also see Southern Hawker, Scarce Chaser and Black Tailed Skimmer. This may well be an immature female Black Tailed Skimmer here -
Look out also for Common Darter such as this female seen by Mike Pearce last week:
In case you missed it there was rather a funky looking dragonfly at nearby Glastonbury Festival last week too. Thanks to Tim Smart for his photo:
Their more delicate looking cousins the damselflies are also out in force. Black Tailed damselflies are pretty common and easy to identify. The only similar specie we have is the Red eyed Damselfly (as the the name suggests they have big red eyes).
This female was snapped by Mike Pearce - its a rufescens form. After a 8 days or so they change colour so this female is in her first week of life above the water.
Sandie Andrews was just focussing on taking a picture of the one when it suddenly it jerked forward quickly and was then seen munching some lunch - an unidentified fly:
Look out also for Banded Demoiselle (think it's almost the end of their flight period), Variable Damselfly, Azure Damselfly and Common Blue Damselfly(pictured below):
It's been a slightly better couple of weeks for butterflies after a big lull. Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Gatekeeper, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Green Veined White and Small White all seen this week.
Gatekeeper: Mike Pearce
Green Veined White: Sandie Andrews
Lots of other bugs to look out for and learn (lots of apps to aid you these days too).
In the car park islands look out for crickets such as the Great Green Bush Cricket or Roesels Bush Cricket both pictured below:
Bryn Evans has once again been bug hunting and found some more new species for the blog:
Red Bug (Deraeocoris ruber): Bryn Evans
Sciara genus (Fungus Gnats): Bryn Evans
Ichneumon Wasp - Possibly Baranisoba genus - shows how hard many of these bugs are to identify : Bryn Evans
Mating Red Soldier Beetles: Mike Pearce.
Male much smaller than the female.
Tapered Drone Fly: Mike Pearce
Woolly Tailed Marsh Fly: Mike Pearce
The moth trap volunteers were out again this week and found 63 species of moth and an unusual visitor - perhaps attracted by the warmth of the trap? This Great Crested Newt - plus a second very small one was also spotted. It was carefully moved away to safety:
Great Crested Newt: Dave Nevitt
In terms of mammals - they are harder to come by. Plenty of evidence of animals such as Otter and Badger but few sightings. A Fox was seen next to the drain (where the Environment Agency have cut the bank vegetation) from the old rail bridge, Roe Deer can sometimes be spotted around the quieter Trails such as Waltons or in fields to the north of the reserve and a Stoat was spotted around Waltons on Wednesday and a Weasel near VP1.
Grass Snakes and Common Lizard can still be seen clinging to the stone gabions at the old rail bridge too - although the weather this week hasn't been the best for them basking. Sandie Andrews took this shot last week and managed to zoom in well, showing you don't have to get really close to them and risk disturbance:
Along the main path you can still hear some bird song such as Blackcap or Chiffchaff. I was trying to locate some Treecreepers I could hear earlier this week (perhaps a family group) but had no luck. It was not to far before VP1. Goldcrest have also been heard along here during the week.
In the Reedbeds you can still hear Water Rails calling and the punchy call of the Cettis Warbler - often heard and not seen at this time of year. Sandie Andrews did manage this shot of a Cettis Warbler in a defensive pose to another:
Reed and Sedge Warblers are still around but much quieter and Reed Buntings can be seen perched up and calling and some family groups have also been spotted:
Also this week: 4 Shelduck flew high over VP1 on Saturday (see photo below), Ravens over the car park, 4 Cattle Egret flying distantly in front of VP1 on Sunday, Little Egrets seen from the Avalon Hide along with Little Grebe, plenty of Kingfisher activity seen from the Avalon Hide this week, Groups of Swift seen over the reserve with around 20 at the car park on Wednesday, 5 Swallows zipped across the car park this morning, Iberian Water Frogs can still be heard calling around the reserve - particularly at Waltons and Loxtons, Green Woodpecker heard calling at the car park during the week and some noisy Jays were squawking loudly at the car park this morning.
That's it for this week. Thank you to all who have contributed their photos and insights: John Crispin, Sandie Andrews, Mike Pearce, Bryn Evans, Mike Uren, Tim Smart and Dave Nevitt.
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful weekend.