Plenty of April showers this week but it hasn't dampened our spirits. As always, there is plenty for me to report and what's a little bit of rain when you've got such a fantastic reserve to visit.
Spring migration has of course continued and we've finally welcomed back the swifts - one of my favourites (although somehow I keep missing them myself). A few were seen as early as Monday but slightly larger groups have been seen each day throughout the week with 30-40 at times. Great to watch and great to listen to their screaming calls - they always look like they are having fun. John Crispin managed to grab this shot of 26 of a group passing over the 1st platform (VP1) on Tuesday. Thanks John!
Good numbers of sand martin, house martin ( I finally saw my first) and swallow have joined them with good hunting opportunities between the showers. The wetter weather often keeps insects a bit lower meaning much closer views of these birds.
Another insect hunter - the hobby has put in more appearances this week with a few birds being spotted over Waltons (as many as 5) and from VP1. Very few dragonflies about at the moment so any flying insect is fair game as John Crispin's photos suggest:
Really interesting birds to watch. Another couple of great photos of the birds in flight too - thanks again to John:
Warblers continue to belt out their various songs and calls. There's plenty of chattering in the reedbeds coming from the growing numbers of reed warblers and a few sedge warblers, cettis warblers (who really do belt out their calls) are also still showing quite well with a few perching up and calling and the main track is a great place to listen for chiffchaff, willow warbler and blackcap and of course garden warbler (relearning the difference between these last two is still something I have to relearn each year. One garden warbler has been hanging out near VP1 this week if it helps - photographed by John Crispin below. Grasshopper warbler was once again reported this week - moving a little further along the footpath each time. This week reported from near the 2 willow blinds just past the Avalon Hide turn off.
Garden warbler - John Crispin
Cuckoos have been more obvious this week too with a lot of calling coming from the area at the back of Waltons. Birds have also been seen in flight from here and the Tor View Hide this week. Thanks once again to John Crispin for his photographic submissions taken on the south path of Waltons this week:
Quite an obvious call for this one so listen out for them tom try and track down a sighting. Another obvious call is of course, the bittern. Again a bit more action this week with 2 or 3 birds seen in a chase on a few occasions - guess you just have to be in the right place at the right time. Lots of booming of course and single flights also seen from both platforms, over Waltons and from the Avalon Hide. John Crispin manged this shot of a bird sat in the Waltons reedbed before it flew off this week (he thinks most likely a male bird):
Great white egrets have been seen within the Waltons reedbed too but also in the block between Waltons and the car park. Staff and volunteers will be putting in time to monitor these birds (bittern and great white egret) to establish how many nests we have this year. They also fly over the car park several times a day so it's getting hard to visit Ham wall and not see one these days. Grey Herons also continue to nest within the Waltons reedbeds too.
A few sightings of cattle egret again this week - we think as many as 9 have returned to the area after the heavy snows - if you see more we'd love to hear from you. 3 were seen over the reserve on Tuesday. Little Bitterns are likely to return but we will only release information about sightings and locations when we think it appropriate to give as much protection to this bird as possible.
After last year's night heron sightings and breeding success - somewhere in the local area we would also be interested to hear of any sightings of these birds if you have any too - thanks.
It's herons galore isn't it - you can also add little egret to the list - seen a few times in front of VP1 this week but also look out for cranes - 2 flew over the reserve on Monday so remember to look up too - particularly high on hotter, clearer days.
Marsh harriers are also keeping busy. They can be seen all around the reserve but sightings are more concentrated in front of the Avalon Hide or from the 2nd platform (VP2). Thanks to Pete Manley for sending in his shots of a male marsh harrier carrying a very large piece of reed for its nest:
Also this week - both Arctic tern (VP1) on Weds and common tern (VP1 & Tor View Hide) on a few occasions seen this week, ravens x2 flew over the car park on Tuesday, whitethroat seen opposite VP1 in the bramble on most days, peregrine flew over the reserve on Monday, great crested grebe with young everyday from VP1, snipe & lapwing from the Avalon Hide throughout the week and redpolls c10 in the wood behind the hide on Saturday and c12 at Waltons on Tuesday, also in the wood Tawny Owl seen sitting out near the box and barn owls seen at Tinneys ground on the Sharpham Road, . Along the main path throughout the week: greenfinch, treecreeper, bullfinch, goldcrest, siskin, song thrush and all the usual tits and finches.
Butterflies not exactly abundant this week - no surprise given the weather but: holly blue, peacock, red admiral, speckled wood, comma, orange tip, small tortoiseshell and brimstone all recorded though. Nothing to add in terms of dragonflies or damselflies either. Expect a greater appearance over the next week or so though - it's that time of year. If you do see a dragonfly it's most likely going to be a hairy dragonfly but also look out for large red damselfly and perhaps blue tailed damselfly in the coming days.
I'll leave you with some great shots of bearded tits from John Crispin (thanks again John!). They are not easy to find but they are out there - unfortunately often in non-public areas but I'm seeing and hearing quite a few about so many have made it through that awful spell of weather we had:
Bearded Tit young female
That's it for this week. Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!