It's been great to be back on "home soil" after 2 days away last week helping out the Wildlife Trust at Westhay and Monday and Tuesday over at RSPB Greylake this week doing some reed cutting for them. Now my machine is back here I can concentrate on clearing the reeds in front of the first viewing platform (VP1). The 3 islands on the right have now been completed, just the 4 on the left to go and some of the front plateau - certainly enough to keep me busy for the next couple of weeks. I did have some company for a little while - this cattle egret perched in front of me a couple of times as I was reed cutting in my machine. It did catch what looked like a frog at one point. Not the greatest image but it was taken through my windscreen. A small group have been seen flying over the reserve this morning and there are several groups in local fields of cows so keep your eyes open:
When I finish an island, we have to move the pontoon bridge for the next one which requires the help of volunteers on a Weds or Thurs (this is why it takes so long). When it's finished however and water levels rise, it's a great autumn winter spectacle out there.
In the meantime, the second viewing platform has some mud showing (either from VP2 itself or from the two willow blinds along the grassy footpath). Black tailed godwits, redshank, green sandpiper, wood sandpiper, snipe (at least 7 seen) and lapwing all spotted here this week. Thanks to Sandie Andrews for her photos of black tailed godwits (x2), a green sandpiper (3 were seen) and a redshank coming in to land and also to Mike Pearce for his shot of a possible spotted redshank (in winter plumage?) taken this week. I have just had a gentleman at the office saying that he thought he'd heard one calling here this week - as always happy to be told otherwise:
It's also been a good place to spot great white egrets (although one has regularly been in front of VP1 whilst I was cutting). It's not unusual to see 5 or 6 out here at once, all with their own fishing spot. Little egrets can also be seen and these two have struck up a little friendship and have been seen together frequently this week. This photo from Sandie Andrews gives a great indication of the size difference between great white and little egret - thanks Sandie:
Sandie also sent in this fantastic shot of a great white egret with wings outspread:
Also Sandie and Mike Pearce have both sent shots of individual little egrets too, with Sandie's eyeing up it's prey and Mike's coming into land. Thanks to you both:
Mike mentioned how he noticed that the little egrets are much more active fishers than the great whites and that one almost seemed to dance on the water as it chased it's prey.
Such elegant birds aren't they with a wonderful plumage?
Here's another, but perhaps one you aren't always aware of. Mike Pearce has got the light just right in this one to show off the bright iridescent colours of the magpie. Thanks Mike:
Another colourful corvid is of course the jay. I've been seeing and hearing quite a few around the reserve lately. Yesterday two flew in front of me, and then another, and another and another until at least 6 had gone by. You should see an increase in activity like this over the coming weeks as they begin to think about stashing away all those acorns for winter.
Magpies go through a moult stage like many birds and this is normally done by September/October. Mike's photo suggests this one has fresh new feathers.
Ducks are perhaps best known for going through a moult or eclipse stage after breeding season. It often makes it hard to tell males and females apart. John Crispin captured this image of a male shoveler in partial eclipse still. He seems to be getting full wing feather colouration but his body still has the typical male eclipse plumage. The pale lores (where the bill meets the face) of a male in eclipse is faint but present. Thanks John for the photo and observations:
Lots of other birds have plumage we all know and love. Kingfisher perhaps one of the most famous. Plenty of sightings this week - along the main drain, from the Waltons screens and Tor View Hide, from the Avalon Hide and old rail bridge. No Photos this week I'm afraid.
Bearded tits are another and this time of year is a great time to see them as they gather up in larger groups. Again, the old rail bridge is a good place to start looking to the left (north) or even stand at the gate on the footpath side of the drain and wait. A group of 30 was seen here this week. Another suggestion is towards the Avalon Hide from the footpath, just through the gate. Mike Pearce and Sandie Andrews both got shots there this week whilst John Crispin's were from the gate opposite the old rail bridge - thanks to all for your shots of these amazing birds. Look for the males with their handsome moustaches:
Not the biggest groups of birds we get of course. We should see a few hundred lapwing once the area in front of VP1 is completed and water levels raised. A few of hundred house martins passed through on Tuesday, whilst other days have seen a steady trickle of both house martins and sand martins(try VP1). Thanks to John Crispin for his house martin shots taken from VP1 this week:
Starlings are congregating in small groups each evening - just a couple of thousand in Waltons at the moment. They have been leaving at just after 7am and the area is often inspected by marsh harriers looking for a dead or dying starling for breakfast. An increase in marsh harrier activity this week - still mostly females, although I did see a beautifully marked male yesterday in the VP1 area. Thanks to John Crispin for his selection of female marsh harriers seen this week:
Plenty of other birds of prey to get excited about too including an osprey seen on several occasions both at Ham Wall and Shapwick Heath, a kestrel seen from the Avalon Hide, barn owl seen from VP1, tawny owls heard calling in the evenings, buzzards seen daily, hobby seen at the car park, VP1 and the Avalon Hide and several sparrowhawk sightings. I saw sparrowhawk myself on Wednesday heading towards the car park, whilst a visitor had reported one near the car park chasing a great spotted woodpecker.
Thanks to Sandie Andrews for her buzzard shot. I've been seeing one quite frequently sitting on top of the telegraph pole close to the old rail bridge:
Thanks also to John Crispin for his shot of a female sparrowhawk and to Mike Pearce for his shot of what he believes to be a young male. The pale supercilium, ragged bars on the chest and general brown colour perhaps indicate this (we are happy to be corrected). He also thinks this was the same bird that he saw catching a dragonfly in flight recently:
There are still a few dragonflies about but just migrant hawker, common darter and ruddy darter left know I think.
In terms of butterflies, still seeing quite a few out in sunny spells (particularly speckled wood - thanks to Mike Pearce for his picture), but also green veined white, small tortoiseshell, peacock and red admiral seen throughout the week:
Also look out for hornets still quite a few being seen and check out the ivy bushes (particularly if south facing) - it's a great late nectar source and often buzzing with a variety of insects.
Back out on the water there are a few ducks beginning to gather: shoveler, teal, wigeon, mallard and gadwall all spotted during the week along with both little grebe and great crested grebe. This youngster which is starting to develop its plumage was still being fed by an adult by the Tor View Hide this week - thanks to Mike Pearce for his photograph:
Other fish lovers to be seen on the reserve include this grey heron - often seen along the sides of the main drain and this cormorant - looks like it could be from this year looking at its brown colouration and yellow bill base. Thanks to Mike Pearce for both of these shots:
Also seen along the side of the main drain this week were a family group of roe deer. This young deer, photographed by John Crispin is showing the developing pedicles from which the antlers grow. Thanks John:
Also this week: a jack snipe seen from the Avalon Hide, a view of an otter swimming under the old rail bridge early this week, a possible lesser spotted woodpecker at Loxtons (passing through I guess), a few bittern sightings 3 of possibly the same bird on Sunday morning (VP1) and then 2 seen close together yesterday(Waltons), ravens heard flying overhead on a couple of occasions, great spotted woodpeckers seen and heard daily, chiffchaff heard singing along the main track (plus sightings of goldcrest, treecreeper and blackcap), a few swallows seen throughout the week and a water rail spotted by Sandie Andrews and photographed - thanks Sandie:
That's it for this week. Thanks for reading and to all those who have contributed. Have a brilliant weekend!