With summer solstice already behind us it's no surprise to see plenty of young fledged (or close to it) birds around the reserve. The Jackdaws from last week have still been present and we have again been asking people not to feed them or encourage them to stay. They have been feeding and foraging on their own and so learning to be independent. Not everyone will tolerate birds landing on them or begging for food and in fact some find it pretty scary so please refrain from giving then any encouragement to imprint further on people. This includes leaving seeds out on the picnic tables which has also encouraged a family of Magpies to loiter at the car park - although these are by no means as tame as the Jackdaws. Thank you for you understanding.
Hopefully as time passes they will integrate with more wild birds and so learn to be a real Jackdaw of the moor. it's for the best and they will have a better chance of survival and a healthier life rather than eating titbits thrown from peoples lunch boxes.
Plenty of other younger birds to enjoy: the Magpies already mentioned but also look out for a young Great Spotted Woodpecker which was seen on the feeders this week. Young (almost full size) Moorhens are also still being seen in the car park pools. This Rook also flew over with a young bird in tow during the week. Thanks to John Crispin for his image:
Along the main path we saw a young Robin this morning and a juvenile wren was seen near the second viewing platform (VP2) earlier in the week. Several locations can offer views of Great Crested Grebe chicks of varying stages of development: The Avalon Hide (2 young seen here this week often calling to parents for food), one on its own on the way to the hide - feeding for itself - perhaps the parents are on a second brood. The screens at Waltons or the Tor View Hide are also good places to try. Some birds have been seen nest building as recently as last week and as I mentioned in last week's blog 2 birds were seen weed dancing in front of the Avalon Hide last Friday (16th).
Thank you very much to Penny Broomhall who has sent in her photograph that she took that day - just so you know I don't just make all this up as I go along:
Also in front of the Avalon Hide (and elsewhere) look out for the young Coot chicks with their parents - we were watching them on Wednesday during our lunch break. Unfortunately there are 1 or 2 less now as on Thursday a visitor reported the Marsh Harriers taking them of to feed their own young.
Marsh Harriers are still very busy and very visible each day. Good views from most parts of the reserve but either viewing platform or the Avalon Hide will probably offer the best views. From VP1 even up to late last week the Redshanks, Lapwing and Black Headed Gulls (although less in number) were still present and very reactive to any threat passing over or close by such as Marsh Harrier or Carrion Crow as John Crispin's photos show. Thanks John:
The Black Headed Gull colony seems to have been abandoned without success which is a shame. The amount of time spent here by Redshank and Lapwing suggests that they had well grown young which we can only hope managed to fledge and not get taken by the harriers. After Monday it appears that all has gone very quiet in this area - lets hope they were successful. Thanks to John Crispin for his shots of Redshank taken late last week:
Some other young birds we were hoping to see this week were Barn Owls. We are very grateful to Chris Sperring from the Hawk and Owl Trust who came in to oversee the checking of boxes and to undertake any possible ringing. Well it's not great news but also not a complete disaster. The box we thought had young in actually turned out to still have eggs although from a photograph it appears two of the three were cracked (not hatching). There was still a third warm egg and a possibility of more to come but it appears food shortages maybe affecting owls down here on the lower ground - the heavy rains we experienced in the early part of spring and the extreme heat of now may be causing a double whammy effect. Birds on the higher ground eg Mendips and Exmoor appear to be fairing slightly better.
The owls being busy in daytime therefore does not always mean they have young birds - they could be struggling to feed themselves. Another box was considered to risky to check but but there was signs of quite a bit of activity. We may just have to monitor these from afar to determine what's going on. Another box had signs of use by Tawny Owl, whilst Jackdaws and Stock Doves had also made use of others - this isn't uncommon.
Thanks to John Crispin again who sent in these shots taken this Monday from VP1. The bird has been using the footpath and main drain as a corridor to hunt:
It's evident that other birds are still busy feeding young. Bitterns are being seen fairly regularly - 5 flights from VP1 yesterday during the survey and I saw 2 flights in as many minutes on Monday from the same location.
One was also dropping in regularly in reed beds close to the wood near the Avalon Hide on Wednesday suggesting a nest in this area.
Great White Egrets are seen daily - one was fishing for long periods at the Avalon Hide on Wednesday. They've had a successful breeding season we think. When I have all the final figures I will let you know - they are not all finished yet.
Sounds like the Grey Herons haven't finished in the Waltons reedbeds either yet, judging by the amount of noise and squabbling we could here from the Tor View Hide this morning.
A Whitethroat has been seen at its usual territory opposite VP1 in the brambles looking for food. Thanks to John Crispin for his shots of the bird on the look out for food and in flight:
Many Reed Warblers are also busy and are often seen flitting around with a beak full of food. This one however has some added interest as it has a metal leg ring. It is believed to have been ringed in Brussels as the close up of the ring shows - see not just a little brown bird - this one has a back story. Thanks to Andrew Kirby for sending in his shots:
Cuckoos were still calling quite frequently at the beginning of the week as they were last week. Perhaps still hoping for a late Warblers nest to parasitize. Many tracked birds however, are already being picked up in Spain on the return journey. One was calling from a dead tree in the woods to the west of VP1 on Monday. It then flew in front of VP1 and across Waltons before disappearing from view.
A Green Woodpecker has also been heard calling from this wood this week. They have been heard so frequently recently, they have almost certainly bred somewhere in this area. You could hear it from the old rail bridge as you first walk into the reserve - I've also heard Kingfisher calling from here this week too.
This bridge is a good place to spot Grass Snakes either warming up on the stone gabions or even swimming in the drain. The bridge up on the road can be good too although we ask at both locations not to loiter for to long as to keep disturbance to a minimum.
Something that is almost unavoidable during your visit will be dragonflies - they are present in great numbers this season. Waltons and the footpath parallel to the main drain are great places to see 4 spotted chasers along with good numbers of Black Tailed Skimmers - these often land on the paths in front of you. Look out also for Scarce Chaser - good numbers this year so perhaps a name change could be in order at some point.
Emperors are also on the wing (our biggest dragonfly) - look out for the apple green thorax and long blue tail as well as a few Broad Bodied Chaser.. Also spotted this week (not by me yet) have been Ruddy Darter and Brown Hawker (both out earlier than usual). Another possible report of Norfolk Hawker is interesting - just need that all important confirmed sighting - any takers?
Damselflies are in abundance too including Variable, Azure, Common Blue, Blue Tailed and Red eyed as well as the lovely Banded Demoiselle often seen along the main drain.
Red eyed mating pair - Giles Morris
Butterflies seem to have picked up a bit this week after 2 very quiet weeks. Meadow Browns are out and about now and wont be long before they are joined by Gate Keepers and Ringlets. Other butterflies spotted this week include: Small White, Green Veined White, Red Admiral, Common Blue, Speckled Wood and Peacock. Look out on nettles for groups of caterpillars most likely Small Tortoiseshell or Peacock. I quickly snapped these Peacock caterpillars with my phone on Tuesday just so you know what to look for:
A few day flying moths seen this week too including Orange Underwing, Scarlet Tiger, 6 Spotted Burnet and a Hummingbird Hawkmoth seen on flowers at the car park. Also this Green Carpet Moth photographed by Giles Morris recently. Thanks Giles:
Also this week: Roe deer seen laying in the long grasses around some of the tracks and trails around the reserve, Hobby seen at the car park, VP1 and VP2 this week, Peregrine also seen from VP1 on Tuesday, a Cattle Egret flew over the car park (also Tuesday), a Sparrowhawk flying in front of VP2 on Wednesday, lots of Mallard and Gadwall from the Tor View Hide this morning - many in eclipse, a tern species seen too briefly yesterday to ID but a Common Tern was reported from Shapwick Heath this week, lots of Goldfinches at the car park, Iberian Water Frogs calling loudly at both Waltons and Loxtons, Buzzards seen daily, red kite seen on Monday over the car park and a report of a Black Kite over the reserve yesterday.
That's it for this week. Thanks for reading and to all those who have contributed photos and information. Have a wonderful weekend!