It seems I've hardly been at work for the last couple of weeks for various reasons - hence the lack of blog last week. You always notice how the place changes though - the amount of vegetation growth for example. Lots of flag iris now out too - thanks to Nicola Berry for her shot:
The first big change was the size of the young blue tits on the nest cam in the welcome building at the car park. I thought that fledging was imminent and indeed it was. This morning they were gone. What a great thing to have seen though as you first enter the reserve.
Another massive change I have noticed has been the emergence of thousands (I'm not joking) of 4 spotted chaser dragonflies. The Waltons trail - as most years, is definitely worth a walk round to witness the clouds of these amazing insects lifting off as you pass. If you're there on a cool morning before they warm up you can see multiple dragonflies on the same reed stems around this roost site. It's a good photo opportunity but please respect the wildlife as you do so and don't go crashing though the undergrowth to get a better shot. Please stick to the main paths. These guys have done just that and sent in a few of their shots. Thanks to John Crispin, Andrew Kirby & Rob Balch for sending in their shots:
John Crispin
Andrew Kirby
Rob Balch
Plenty of other dragonflies out on the wing too. Scarce chaser, broad bodied chaser and hairy dragonfly all recorded. In terms of damselflies: blue tailed, red eyed, small red eyed, large red, azure, variable (pictured) and banded demoiselle (pictured) all seen this week.
Variable damselflies: John Crispin
Banded demoiselle: John Crispin
Butterflies are evident too. In the couple of days I've had here recently I've spotted brimstone, green veined white, orange tip, peacock, speckled wood, large white, holly blue and had common blue reported to me by a visitor.
As we're "All nature" lets carry on with all the non-bird stuff for the moment. We've had a pretty amazing flurry of otter sightings over the last week with 7 sightings in that time. 2 of these came on guided walks on Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning - both from the Avalon Hide. Another from the hide area on Sunday evening and another from the first gate by the main drain on the way to the hide on Tuesday morning. Well done and thank you to Andrew Kirby for catching these shots and sending them in:
Other sightings include on in Waltons on Monday evening, Long drove (beyond Waltons to the south) this morning and one almost at the end of the rail path towards Sharpham on Wednesday - fantastic to have so many sightings.
Other mammals reported include: roe deer, weasel (on the main track), fox, badger, rabbit and grey squirrel. Thanks to Nicola Berry for her shot below:
Definite changes in bird life too since the last blog. Most of the swift, hirundines and hobby have now passed through leaving just the odd sighting now. I did see a hobby near the Avalon Hide on Wednesday and traditionally the Loxtons screen offers a few sightings during breeding season so maybe worth a look.
If you're over at the Avalon Hide look out for marsh harriers - they're nesting out here so pretty active. So too are bitterns possibly, so we may see some interesting conflict between the two in the coming weeks as we did last year. These 2 were having a bit of conflict between themselves in front of the Tor View Hide on Wednesday. Thanks to Graham Wagner for these shots of a crazy pair of males most likely:
There have been a few chases from birds - this time most likely males chasing females with 4 seen together one day last week but a long flight from 2 from the 1st platform (VP1) and over Waltons on Wednesday. Many other flights from single birds and booming still being heard during the day - Waltons has quite a consistent boomer. Thanks to Nick Wigzell and Richard Berry for their bittern shots:
Nick Wigzell
Richard Berry
If you're spending time at the Tor View Hide stay quiet and look out for water rails. They've been seen here frequently and we've had reports of youngsters too - great stuff. Bearded Tits have been heard around Waltons this week too. On Saturday one was seen in the south west corner and another in the north east corner. The Avalon Hide area has also had a couple of reports in recent weeks. Thanks to Richard Berry for his shot of a male bird taken on the reserve last week.
Also within Waltons you've a good chance of seeing great crested grebes with youngsters on both sides of the hide. Thank you to Rob Balch for sending in some shots of a rather hungry grebe:
As well as young grebes there's a chance you'll see young grey herons too. There are a few nests dotted about in the Waltons reedbeds. There's one on the left as you walk up, or look from the hide to see if you can spot them. Thanks again to Richard Berry who managed to capture them here with this photo:
There's lots of evidence of other young birds around - a brood of 14 ducklings with a mallard in Waltons and a pair of mute swans in the same area with 6 cygnets: Thanks to Richard and Nicola Berry for sending in their shots:
Thanks also to Trish Harper (our administrator from West Sedgemoor/Greylake) who spotted these 2 families of greylag geese from the Avalon Hide and snapped them on her phone:
Yet more youngsters here with the Tawny Owlets which can be seen on the edge of the woods from the Avalon Hide. Again as with the dragonflies earlier please don not enter the woods to try and get closer shots and cause unnecessary disturbance - in this case it is actually an offence to do so so please stick to the main visitor areas and paths - it's quite possible to see these without straying away. Thanks to Andy Collins for his Tawny shots:
There is of course those which never quite make it - thanks to a carrion crow in this case:
If they do hatch then there are plenty of hungry mouths to feed. Thanks to John Crispin for the shot above and these below of a busy long tailed and great spotted woodpeckers seen around Waltons. There's a pair of woodpeckers feeding so a nest nearby.
Thanks also to Graham Wagner who got in on the woodpecker action this week:
Also this week: a pair of spotted flycatchers seen past the second platform on the main track, look out also for goldcrest, treecreeper and bullfinch along the track and all the usual warblers: chichaff, blackcap, garden warbler, whitethroat & willow warbler. A pair or 2 of lapwing chasing off all comers distantly in front of VP1, a red kite over the weekend and this one from last week from John Crispin - thanks John:
Other birds this week include: Raven, buzzards, sparrowhawk, around 16 black tailed godwits and another group of around 10 waders seen on Wednesday reported to me by a visitor. Could have been the ten ringed plover later seen at the scrape on Shapwick (8 seen there this morning too), a cattle egret flew over the car park last night too and there Great White Egrets everywhere - they're hard to miss and there are cuckoos to look out for. The Waltons area is often a good place to try. Thanks to John Crispin for sending in his photo of a male in flight and female perched in trees:
Well I think I'd better leave it there for now before things get too long. Thank you to the 8 of you who sent me in all your wonderful pictures. Sorry I couldn't use quite all of them, I was over run this week - a nice position to be in though thank you - they really make the blog work.
Have a great bank holiday weekend and brace yourself for another wildlife packed week at the reserve!