Much the same story as the last couple of weeks really. Hot, dry weather, no real rain to speak of and fairly quiet on the reserve in terms of birds - much of this to be expected at this time of year of course. It might mean just a little more patience is required when searching out some of our star birds.
Bitterns are still being seen - maybe not quite in the numbers seen just a few weeks ago, where you'd just turn up at the first viewing platform (VP1) and see one in no time at all. Reports of bittern over Waltons this morning but other reports throughout the week at VP2 and the Avalon Hide.
The marsh harriers are pretty obvious too with adults seen dropping food to youngsters - remember these are generally more brown with the gingery caps. Thanks to John Crispin who managed these shots this week - on two different occasions adults dropped frogs to juveniles for them to practice catching in mid air - shows a bit of variation in their diet too - only a few weeks ago, an adult was seen carry a grass snake back to its nest.
These are most likely Iberian water frogs - these are a non native which have been on Ham Wall and Shapwick for many years. They (and similar species) live alongside common frogs on the continent so don't seem to have a detrimental effect on populations as they occupy different niches and have different breeding times etc.
If anything they have boosted bird numbers and are feeding colonising birds from the continent such as great white egret, cattle egret and more recently glossy ibis. Here's what they look like if you come across any. Thanks to John Crispin whose old stock photos I am using - note the green line along the back:
Of course as much as great white egrets love a bit of frog I'm sure fish must be the favourite meal. This individual caught what I think is a rudd after patiently waiting in the water. Thanks to John Crispin for his photo sequence:
Another fisherman - this a time a grey heron - taking on the slightly more difficult task of swallowing an eel. Thanks again to John Crispin for his shots taken this week:
So lots of interesting stuff going on at the moment - even if a lot of it is at a slightly slower pace.
That is of course with the exception of some of the insect life. Dragonflies warm up quicker and are very active and in good numbers at this time of year. They too can perhaps get a bit too hot at times. Thanks to Mike Pearce who sent in this shot of a female azure damselfly:
Mike researched this strange looking body position taken by the damselfly. It is know as the obelisk posture - many species of damselfly do this to help keep cool whilst waiting for their next prey item to come near.
Other damselfly species seen this week include: red eyed damselfly. small red eyed damselfly, variable damselfly, blue tailed damselfly, common blue damselfly and banded demoiselle seen by the old rail bridge this morning). White legged damselfly is also a possibility.
Dragonflies include: black tailed skimmer, emperor, southern hawker, ruddy darter (first of the year), migrant hawker, brown hawker and don't forget we've been getting the odd sighting of lesser emperor too. Thanks to Giles Morris for his shots of emperor and ruddy darter dragonflies:
Thanks also to Mike Pearce who has sent in a picture of a female emperor laying eggs in the water and a brown hawker in flight:
The small red eyed damselflies are a fairly new coloniser in recent years. You can often see them on floating vegetation but Giles Morris say hundreds in an oak tree during his dragonfly survey recently - many in tandem mating. Quite a surprise. Thanks to Giles who sent in a couple of shots of small red eyed damsels:
Whilst watching these he also spotted a purple hairstreak butterfly. I mentioned these a couple of weeks ago in the blog that there could be some around and hey presto! There you go.
Thanks to Giles who managed to get this shot of a slightly worn looking individual. Great to know they are about - I will be looking more closely in the oak trees in future:
Butterfly numbers have been quite good recently - take a good look along the grassy bank side of the main drain - lots of big bramble patches with a good mix of ripe fruit and some flowers still Lots of damselflies & dragonflies along here too.
Species recorded this week include: Red Admiral, peacock, brimstone, green veined white, small white, large white, speckled wood, small tortoiseshell, ringlet, meadow brown, gatekeeper, small tortoiseshell and comma.
I managed to grab a snapshot of a comma on my phone this week. Thanks also to Mike Pearce for the better quality image of a speckled wood at rest with wings closed:
I'm running out of time so I will have to round up quickly for this week. So, what's also been spotted: grass snakes have again been seen swimming at the reserve from the old rail bridge and at Waltons, a slow work was in the raised beds by the toilet block on both Saturday and Sunday last weekend, there was a record on the sightings board at the car park of an otter seen from VP1, I heard ravens calling to each other over the reserve on Tuesday, a roe deer ran in front of me on the main track also on Tuesday, a garganey seen from the Avalon Hide early this week but also one on Monday at VP2 (juvenile maybe) and Wednesday (male), great spotted woodpeckers from car park and near the Avalon Hide, treecreeper seen along the main path along with bullfinch, bearded tits heard but not seen from VP2 and this garden warbler spotted in the trees on the grassy footpath track late last week. Thanks to Giles Morris for his photo:
Sorry to rush to finish but I'm already well past finish time on a Friday. Thanks for reading though and have a great weekend!