As often with Ham Wall it's the long legged birds which steal the show. Bitterns are still busying themselves feeding youngsters. The activity suggests that we have at least 7 nests on the reserve this season. Waltons is a good area to try and track them down but they are also within the Loxtons area and visible from the Avalon Hide. One was seen perched up in the reeds preening from the hide during the week.
John Crabb sent me this photo of a Bittern in flight taken recently - thanks John:
The other long legged classic bird for Ham Wall is the Great White Egret of course. Again very busy and very visible each day on the reserve. Waltons along with the Bitterns and the area in front of the 2nd platform good places to catch up with them - to be honest it's hard not to see one during a visit at the moment. Thanks to John Crispin for some great Egret photos.
Note the yellowing of the bill showing its transition from breeding black to its 'off season' yellow.
We have Little Egrets and Grey Herons aplenty too but this by no means completes the set. Wednesday saw a rare visitor to Ham Wall (but our second visit of the year) of a White Stork. It was seen flying high over Waltons and gradually moved north circling all the time. At one point it was joined by Buzzards and a Hobby. There's been one residing at Steart for a few days, so it was probably this bird. Unfortunately no photo this time but I'll slip in a picture provided by John Crispin from the birds last visit in April:
We're not done yet though because we still have the Glossy Ibis present in the area in front of the 2nd platform and seen several times over the last couple of weeks. As I've said before if you can't see it from the 2nd platform itself just cross over to the footpath side of the drain and check out the area from the bench and willow blinds not far from the junction with the Avalon Hide (or from the Avalon Hide path itself which looks across this area). Also in this section this week: 3 Green Sandpipers, 20+ Lapwing, Garganey and lots of other duck species - many going into eclipse plumage.
The Avalon Hide is still the best place to go for Marsh Harriers, a male and 2 females seen here regularly here with another pair further east. Also out the front of the hide is a pair of Great Crested Grebes looking like they were courting again. The Waltons section is probably the best place to get views of the grebes either from the screens or the Tor View Hide. John Crabb managed these shots last week from this location:
Too Big? Great Crested Grebe: John Crabb
Great Crested Grebe with young : John Crabb
Volunteers were out surveying for bitterns yesterday at Waltons and Loxtons and were able to report several great sightings to me (as well as the great number of Bittern flights). These include 3 Cuckoos in a chase across Loxtons, 3 Hobbys seen flying together over Waltons, a Kingfisher seen within Waltons (and another carrying a fish further east on the reserve and they also reported lots of Garden Warblers along the footpaths. Thanks to Dennis Upshall and John Crabb for the Cuckoo and Hobby photos.
Cuckoo: Dennis Upshall
Hobby: John Crabb
The Hobby here can be seen clutching its prey. There are many thousand dragonflies around the Waltons trail. The majority of these are 4 spotted chasers but also recorded on the reserve this week have been: Emperor, Black Tailed Skimmer and Scarce Chaser along with damselflies: Azure, Blue Tailed, Variable, Red Eyed and Banded Demoiselle.
4 Spotted Chaser
Butterflies are out too - the best sighting this week was of Painted Lady but we've also had: Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell, Green Veined White,Large Skipper, Speckled Wood, Scarlet Tiger moth and Red Admiral. Also spotted several sets of Peacock caterpillars on bunches of nettles this week:
Talking of caterpillars it appears that certain ones are a favourite meal for Bearded Tits. John Crispin took these shots of them on the north of the reserve this week- thanks John!:
Also partial to the odd spider:
In public areas Bearded Tits have been seen and heard in front of the 2nd platform this week and recently in front of the Avalon Hide - so there is a chance.
Also this week: a couple of Sparrowhawk sightings but this one captured by Dennis Upshall last week - thanks Dennis!
....lots of Warblers still present: Cettis, Reed Warbler and the odd Sedge Warbler within the reed beds and in the tree lines, lots of Blackcaps, Willow Warblers, Garden Warblers Chiffchaff and Whitethroat (pictured):
Whitethroat: John Crabb
...and lots of young birds around the reserve including these Mallards photographed by John Crabb:
That's it for this week. Have a great weekend!