What a fabulous week on the reserve this week. Spring has well and truly sprung and visitors are flocking to the local reserves to see whats on offer. Some of the stars of the show this week have to be the Hobbys. They've been easy to view every day over all parts of the reserve and are always a pleasure to see (unless you're a dragonfly of course).
John Crabb sent me these photos of Hobby over Ham Wall on Tuesday - thanks John:
As many as 10 have been seen together so far but there's a long way to go to beat last years high of around 50 (there's still time). Dragonflies and damselflies are finally beginning to emerge in greater numbers now that the warmer weather has finally arrived. Hairy Dragonflies are the first dragonflies to emerge and a few have been seen while hundreds of damselflies are now showing themselves. Large Red, Blue Tailed and Variable damselfly all recorded this week:
Variable Damselflies - Giles Morris
It's not a safe place for these creatures though as John Crabb's other Hobby photos show:
He's behind you!
Discarding the remains
Another acrobatic flyer came into the reserve in good numbers again this week - the Swift. Always a sign of the arrival of spring for me and one of my favourite birds. They've put on some good 'food catching' flights and had a good scream - as they do. This noise has given this bird the title of 'the Devil bird'.
Swifts: John Crispin
Of course plenty of other migrants have made their way back to the reserve this year. The reed beds are coming alive with the chattering of Reed Warblers and there seems to be more Sedge Warblers on the reserve this year. It can be tricky telling the difference between these two on calls alone. The best this to do is find a track where there's one on each side and have a good listen. During the 'Mr Boombastic' bittern guided walk this week this actually occurred and was most helpful. It was on the path to the Avalon Hide and apparently the Sedge Warbler even did a song flight to prove its identity.
Reed Warbler: John Crabb Sedge Warbler: John Crispin
Other warblers include the Blackcap of which there are plenty, Garden Warbler (one singing close to both platforms this week), Whitethroats (again very showy by both platforms), Lesser Whitethroat seen by rail bridge lat week and 1st platform this week, Chiffchaff, Cettis Warbler - very vocal but beginning to be a bit less showy than the last couple of weeks and Willow Warblers - listen out for their descending calls.
Other birds on the move are of course the waders. The area in front of the 2nd viewing platform is once again the place to go. There's been some interesting stuff out there but it seems to vary slightly each day. Up to 3 Wood Sandpipers have been seen most of the week (although not reported so far today), a lovely looking male Ruff both yesterday & today, up to 100 Black Tailed Godwits, 14 Whimbrel, 2 Common Sandpiper, 9 Dunlin, 8 Greenshank, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Redshank, 4 Lapwing (seen displaying), a Turnstone on Monday and the odd Snipe throughout the week.
Old faithful - the Glossy Ibis is still present. Often visible from the 2nd platform but if not cross over to the grassy path and find the 2 willow blinds. These offer slightly different angles on this area and the Glossy Ibis was very close to these on Tuesday. 2 Bitterns took of very close to one of these screens the same day too.
Also from the 2nd platform this week - Peregrine on Tuesday (but not the first time it's been seen here lately), a lone male Wigeon still present, a pair of Pintail also still present, male Garganey showing well all week and the odd drop in from Great White Egrets and Bittern flypasts.
The Avalon Hide still offers the best views of Marsh Harriers with lots of hunting and pair bonding activity to see such as food passes (Tuesday was particularly good apparently. Good chance of a Bittern sighting here too and a Tawny Owl was spotted sat outside the box in the wood (the one you walk through) with a youngster this morning.
At Waltons, no sign of the Ring Necked duck for me this week and no reports so perhaps it's moved on. Great Crested Grebes and Little Grebes and several duck species are visible along with at least 2 Grey Herons nests with youngsters inside (within the reeds).
Grey Heron and chick: John Crispin
Also this week: Short Eared Owl on Monday but not reported since, Barn Owl seen near the Central Wood on Tuesday morning, 2 Mistle Thrush in the car park this morning plus at least 2 Song Thrush calling, 3 Cranes over the 1st platform yesterday and 2 at the far end of the site on Wednesday, 2 Black Terns reported between the car park and Waltons (on the right) last night (Thurs) - then joined briefly by a Whiskered Tern before moving off.
Finally, lots of Great White Egret activity around the site this week. You'd be unlucky not to seen one during any visit at the moment. Here's a nice shot of one sent in by John Crabb this week. Interesting to see the shadow of its head and neck on its wing:
That's it for this week, have a great weekend!