A much warmer week this week in general (if we forget the horrible deluge of rain all day on Wednesday). The warmer weather has definitely triggered more wildlife into action and there is a definite feel of spring. Many trees are beginning to green or show buds and flowers are beginning to appear such as celandine and of course snowdrops and daffodils.
Asa more flowers emerge so too will the insect life. There's a good chance you will have seen a butterfly out on the wing this week, fresh from hibernation. Brimstone, peacock and small tortoiseshell have all been spotted out on the reserve this week along with a few of the early bumblebees.
Frogs are croaking and some spawn has been spotted around ponds and pools. Other pond life too will become more active as it warms up. Thanks to Sandie Andrews who sent in photos of a pond skater and a water boatman taken this week:
Bird activity, is of course quite an obvious sign of spring - a definite increase in bird song this week with at least 3 blackcaps heard singing along with chiffchaffs - these are short distance migrants but could well have overwintered in the UK due to milder winters.
Great tit, song thrush, wren, drumming great spotted woodpeckers (green woodpecker has also been heard calling this week) and goldfinch have also been heard to name just a few.
Perhaps the most obvious "caller" is the bittern if you are lucky enough to hear its booming call. There's a pretty good chance of hearing them at any time of day at the moment, although early mornings are best. Last week (as I mentioned in the last blog), staff and volunteers spread out across the whole of the Avalon Marshes for the early morning booming bittern count.
Ham Wall came back with an impressive 22 booming males with an additional 3 on land bordering us but not owned by us. There were a further 9 at Shapwick Heath and 4 at Westhay Moor. None recorded at Greylake this time but this could change on the second count next month - with Ham Wall looking a bit over populated some could well seek out other territories.
Other reserve favourites are the great white egrets -most now in their breeding plumage. Some have definitely started setting up nest sites - often colonial nesters so don't be surprised to see several in an area.
Similarly, with grey herons - they are well underway in the Waltons sections with at least 4 nests built and occupied.
Sticking with the heron family a glossy ibis was spotted this morning over the second viewing platform (VP2). It didn't land and flew around for a while before heading north and disappearing into the mist. Luckily John Crispin was on hand to capture a couple of shots - thank you John!
The glossy has, in recent weeks, been hanging around with the cattle egrets in the local area. I've definitely been seeing less on my way into work but some are still around with a group of around 80-90 coming from a roost close to Ham Wall. Egyptian geese were also seen in and around this group at times and 3 dropped into Ham Wall last week in front of VP2 - thanks one again to John Crispin who captured these shots:
In front of the first viewing platform (VP1) the great crested grebes have once again been seen mating - the second time now. Thanks to John Crispin for his photo sequence - this may help you know what to look for if you've never seen this behaviour. Birds elsewhere on the reserve (try Waltons)has also been seen weed dancing and head bobbing - part of their courtship display. Thanks to Mike Pearce for his shot of the weed dance and then a well earned snack afterwards:
You will most likely see nest building from these pairs at any time soon - when they start early the nests can really be quite obvious and out in the open.
Other birds are already nest building: cormorants, long tailed tits and carrion crows and magpies have all been seen with nesting material this week as have the reserves marsh harriers. Yesterday 2 pairs were flying quite high and interacting - one pair would have been visible from VP2 for sure and the other perhaps from the Avalon Hide - usually the best spot for some marsh harrier action during breeding season. Thanks to Sandie Andres and John Crispin for their shots of marsh harriers carrying nesting material:
and a shot of a male from Sandie Andrews:
The male hen harrier which was being see occasionally (not by me unfortunately) seems to have disappeared some time last week. Also last week a report of a white (leucistic) sparrowhawk moving through the starling flock (what's left of it) not seen again as far as I know - On Sunday however this bird flew over - believed to be a Goshawk - correct me if I'm wrong? Thanks to Mike Pearce who was on hand to get the shot:
I have to admit to not having kept track of the starling numbers over the last couple of weeks. They usually plummet at this time of year and with lighter evenings the roost gets later and later. No murmuration photo but here's a nice shot of a pair from Sandie Andrews taken this week:
Many wintering birds are now leaving us although you can still see the odd teal and wigeon and even a redwing or two still passing through. Thanks to John Crispin for his redwing shots:
Arrivals include some sand martins seen from VP1 earlier in the week and 2 garganey spotted from VP2 on Tuesday.
Also this week: bearded tits seen and heard near the Avalon Hide, Ravens flying overhead and calling on several occasions, 2 bramblings seen at VP2 on Tuesday, roe deer seen at several locations around the reserve, kingfishers calling like mad on Wednesday from the old rail bridge looking north, snipe seen at Loxtons this morning and a couple of lapwing still being spotted at Waltons and an increase in vocals from both cettis warbler (see photo) and water rails in particular (one spotted from the Tor View Hide yesterday.
Cettis warbler
Finally, a nice shot of a wren with a juicy green caterpillar taken by John Crispin this week - thanks John:
Before I finish we have been asked by a reader if we could include a link to the reserve map so here it is https://bit.ly/HMWMap1
The map is on the second page - it is the old reserve leaflet that we used to hand out so some of the information is dated eg the car parking charges - now £3 flat rate
Hope this is useful to some.
That's it for this week. Thanks for reading. I'm off again next week so it will be once again a fortnight before the blog returns. Have a great weekend