Recent Sightings at RSPB Ham Wall - 12.08.2022

The hot weather is continuing throughout the UK. It's making some work quite difficult for staff and volunteers in such hot conditions but we are doing what we can. As I've mentioned before visitor numbers have dropped off quite significantly with people opting to stay out of the sun or perhaps hit the beaches. I think it's a similar story at many visitor attractions at the moment.

The wildlife has to cope with this too, so not surprisingly, during the heat of the day, activity is much lower. I'm getting plenty records of wildlife sightings from volunteers and visitors - I guess you just have to be in the right place at the right time. 

Some species are more obvious than others. Buzzards have been flying high on thermals (along with the odd marsh harrier) and this morning there were one or two constantly calling to each other. Perhaps at least one was a juvenile calling to a parent bird. 

Perhaps one of our most obvious birds to see is the great white egret. After a successful breeding season there are plenty around the Avalon Marshes to see. Perhaps being big and white just makes them far too easy to spot. I've mentioned in previous blogs that some of our ringed birds have ventured far and wide in the UK. 2 of this years youngsters have met up in Yorkshire. Ringed bird ABU (from a Westhay nest) and ABP (from a Ham Wall nest) were spotted together last week. Also the bird seen at Brixham recently (Ringed ACA) has since dropped in for a visit to Paignton Zoo - there's a snippet on their website here: https://www.paigntonzoo.org.uk/news/rare-great-white-egret-spotted-at-paignton-zoo/

I've been seeing a few more little egret on the reserve recently too and I'm sure we will soon see growing numbers of cattle egret as their breeding season finishes and our autumn/winter numbers begin to swell. 

Thanks to John Crispin who photographed great white egret and little egret flying together this week - super for that size comparison:

Bitterns are still being seen - quite a few flights from the first viewing platform (VP1) in particular, although they are by no means an easy spot at this time of year - back to their more secretive nature once breeding season has finished. I did recently promise to update on how the nesting season went for them. The numbers are in: 6 definite nests and 5 probable nests giving us a total of 11. This is actually quite high for us but given that we had 22 booming males on site this season (our highest ever), I think this should be no surprise. ightings were plentiful throughout May and June. 

Grey herons are a fairly easy spot - it's quite possible they will be finding fishing easier as ditches become shallower and prey perhaps easier to spot. This individual was having a good preen on top of the artificial sand martin bank in front of VP1 this week. Thanks to John Crispin for his photo:

Unfortunately no sand martins used it this year (our first season) - hopefully next year will be the charm. A few martins have been spotted this week with around 12 sotted from VP1 on Wednesday. Swallows are also being seen here in small numbers, whilst there were several sitting on wires at the car park this morning - the second brood from the pair at the wooden hut by the car park fledged successfully on Saturday - great news.

A few swift have also been spotted throughout the week , including this individual snapped by John Crispin. Thanks John: 

Hobby have also been seen (similar shape to the swift), with a few sightings from VP1 throughout the week. These two were photographed by Sandie Andrews this week. She has sent the distant shot of the two and then zoomed in on the individuals. She mentioned that the first bird was calling (you can see this in the photo) - she'd never heard it before (I'm not sure I have to be honest). Thanks Sandie: 

Plenty of flying insects (dragonflies in particular) for them to feed on. When you cant see many birds, insects such as butterflies and dragonflies/damselflies are a good distraction.

Dragonflies seem to thrive with the hot weather and several species have been spotted this week including: Emperor, black tailed skimmer, brown hawker, migrant hawker, ruddy darter, common darter and southern hawker. Thanks to Mike Pearce for his shots of both male and female southern hawker taken around the Loxtons section this week: 

Male

Female 

In terms of damselflies look out for banded demoiselle, red eyed, small red eyed, variable, azure, blue tailed and common blue. Thanks to Sandie Andrews for her photo of mating common blue damselflies taken this week:

Butterfly numbers seem to have dropped off slightly - it could be that lots of flowers are now going to seed or plants are just generally struggling with the lack of water, so nectar sources could be reduced. Several species have been recorded this week though including: clouded yellow, green veined white, small white, small tortoiseshell, red admiral, comma, speckled wood and common blue (seen at the car park today). This painted lady was also spotted and photographed by John Crispin - thanks John:

Plenty of other insect life out there to discover including grasshoppers, crickets, hornets, bumblebees (and all the mimics), beetles and hoverflies to name just a few. Not sure of the species here but a lovely photo of a hoverfly at rest on a leaf from Mike Pearce - thanks Mike:

Although the majority of nests are now complete there is a possibility of nests still being active. This reed warbler was photographed by Mike Pearce late last week with a beak full of insects:

Another reed warbler here, this time from Sandie Andrews. Thanks Mike & Sandie:

Lots of these being seen now could well be birds on passage, along with sedge warbler and birds such as willow warblers (several bursts of song from willow warblers have been heard this week, including by me this morning). 

This willow warbler was photographed by John Crispin this week foraging for invertebrates in the undergrowth:

As was this wren - thanks again to John:

The common whitethroat is probably the most commonly seen passerine in front of VP1 at the moment- with both adults and juveniles being seen. Thanks to John Crispin for his two shots. In the second shot we think the top bird might be a juvenile: 

There's a good chance of spotting other juvenile birds on your visit. There's a young robin visiting the wildlife garden at the car park quite frequently, swans with cygnets are being reported, groups of duck are still possibly hanging around in family groups and these new arrivals were photographed by John Crispin during the week. First a juvenile reed bunting and then a juvenile moorhen having a good preen and a stretch. Thanks again John:

A juvenile water rail was also reported from the Tor View Hide this week. It's often a good place to see them (now the vegetation is cut in front, even easier). This great photo was taken by Andrew Kirby recently. A water rail appearing to hurdle over cut reed stems - perhaps an entrant for the next commonwealth games - thank Andrew:

Also this week: an adder spotted this morning hiding in grasses near VP1, grass snake spotted at the car park pools, green woodpeckers seen at VP1, great spotted woodpeckers seen frequently, 2 garganey reported at VP2 last weekend, a single teal seen yesterday in Waltons on exposed mud (a few others spotted at VP2), 3 raven flying over on Wednesday, one of the volunteers saw a stoat run passed us as we worked on Wednesday - another was seen by a visitor in the car park area, kingfishers spotted at VP1, Waltons and Loxtons and the Avalon Hide this week, barn owl seen from VP1 on Wednesday and from VP2 on Sunday, bearded tits seen and heard from the Avalon Hide, Marsh Harriers seen from VP1, VP2 and the Avalon Hide, a few roe deer spotted throughout the week, an otter seen by a visitor from the Avalon Hide last weekend and great crested grebes in the Waltons and Tor View Hide areas including this individual enjoying a fish supper taken by Mike Pearce - thanks Mike:

That's it for this week - thanks for reading and have a wonderful weekend!