It has felt like spring has been coming and going over the last couple of weeks, with some beautiful sunny, warm days, followed by dismal, cool and windy ones! Nevertheless, our summer migrants are starting to trickle in and resident species are forming territories and beginning their breeding attempts.
The first sand martins were seen on the 16th March over the visitor trails, followed by the first avocets back on the 23rd – six birds are now on site, so look out for them feeding on the lagoons from the public footpath and on Phase 1 from the trails. Chiffchaffs are in full voice, with several now setting up territory and singing away!
Julie, John E and Andy completed our annual water rail survey yesterday (26th March) and recorded a whopping 22 birds! This is the highest number ever recorded on site and smashes last year’s high of 18. Great effort guys and lovely to see the bird thriving! 6 singing Cetti's warblers are also a site record and we have high hopes for their continued success after last year's first ever confirmed breeding.
Water rail. Mike Richards (rspb-images.com)
And on the subject of the breeding season....we have been busy in the last few weeks doing some habitat management work for bearded tits deep within the reedbed. On advice from our expert colleague Pete Short, we have reduced the amount of willow in the vicinity of last year’s nest site and cut small feeding areas for the birds within the wider reedbed area. We hope all this work will coax them back and we wish them another successful breeding season – fingers crossed!
Bearded tit feeding areas - ideal!