It's been a lovely warm week on the reserve and it's been a real help to get us catching up with our reedbed management work. We're cutting islands in front of the 1st platform and hopefully it may just be a couple more weeks before we finish and get water levels back up.
The weather has also helped the contractors building the new Avalon Hide. They've made some real progress: the lower walkway is finished, the stairs are in and the upper storey is almost completely cladded. 6 large glass windows are a couple of weeks away however and there's the roof to go on but it's coming together nicely. I'll try to get some pictures up soon.
On the wildlife front there are plenty of birds on the move - many on their way through but some coming in for the winter.
On Wednesday there were good groups of Swallows & House Martins feeding over the reserve and there are plenty of individuals hanging around locally. On Monday and Tuesday single Hobby were seen from the 1st platform & over Waltons and this afternoon 3 were seen out over Loxtons.
You may also encounter the odd Reed or Sedge Warbler flitting in amongst the reeds - these could be birds just hanging on or birds migrating and stopping off for a good feed up before continuing their long journey south. There are also still a few Chiffchaffs singing in the rail path trees but of course these may well overwinter as they have tended to do in recent years.
On the new arrivals front both Wigeon & Teal have been seen recently on the reserve and on Wednesday a Wigeon was seen dropping into the area in front of the 2nd platform.
This area has been good for waders over the last couple of weeks, although the vegetation growth means you may have to work a little harder and be a bit more patient for you rewards. Last weekend saw: Little Stint, Wood Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper and Common Sandpiper, while the working week has seen: Lapwing 200+, Black Tailed Godwit c30, Snipe 6 or more, Wood Sandpiper 1, Ruff 1, Knot 1, Common Sandpiper 1 , Green Sandpiper 2 and who knows what else could be lurking out there.
It's also been a favourite haunt for Great White Egrets (5 or more seen) - one was also seen opposite the Waltons screens on Monday in full view, Marsh Harrier and Bittern (all seen easily this morning). There have been a few more Bittern Sightings this week, particularly form the 2 platforms. John Crispin's best bittern moment this week came from Loxtons. He managed to get this photo sequence of a bird perched in the reeds and then taking off. It then flew off south towards Durston's Peat works:
There was also a bittern seen with a dodgy looking leg. It flew from Central Wood (close to the new hide build) and flew over to Shapwick - all the time with its leg at this jaunty angle:
Elsewhere on the reserve Waltons is worth a look. There's normally something on display from the first 2 screens - a good place to see Little Grebe. The Tor View Hide Offers a bit more height to help pick things out (and we've now cut the reeds to give better views. Water Rail was seen very briefly on the edge of the cut reed here on Monday but was also squealing well, while on the other side a Cettis Warbler sat up obligingly and pumped out it's punchy song.
Purple Heron was seen here about 1.30pm today, a lady reported it to me (as usual I missed it). It flew out of Waltons and over towards Loxtons and a while later another couple of visitors said that it may have returned but weren't 100% sure. So it's still out there.....good luck!
Kingfishers are a bird people always question me about - a bit of a favourite. Best places to wait: Loxtons screen - they often perch on branches to the right or fly across the front, Waltons from the screens and this week a few sightings from the 1st platform. Get familiar with their whistling call to give you the heads up and a better chance.
Again this week I can't say I've seen that many butterflies. Here's the few I have seen and like last week you could easily add to this: Small Tortoiseshell, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Green Veined White, Brimstone & Common Blue.
There are still a number of dragonflies too - it seems to have been a good year with plenty visible. This week I've seen: Brown Hawker (a rather battered looking one pictured - close to the end for this one), Southern Hawker, Migrant Hawker, Common Darter, Ruddy Darter (also pictured), Blue Tailed Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly and again this week Small Red Eyed Damselfly.
Brown Hawker
Ruddy Darter
Also this week: several sightings of Ravens, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, large groups of Gadwall and Mallard, Little Egrets from the 2nd platform, Sparrowhawk, Buzzards and an Osprey which flew over the Tor View Hide on Wednesday. Another bird was seen over at Shapwick Heath today but it just kept on flying.
That's it for this week. Have a great weekend!