It’s finally happened – spring migrants have started arriving on site after a longer than usual wait! First thing yesterday morning, we were treated to four little ringed plovers on Phase 1, accompanied by four redshank, two oystercatchers and displaying lapwing. It’s definitely wader week too, with green sandpiper and numerous snipe also present on site.
I heard my first chiffchaff singing this morning – only my second of the year after a brief view of one a couple of weeks ago. This was followed half an hour later with a lovely sighting of a non-singing bird on the public footpath by the Phase 1 scrub.
So, what’s next – the first willow warbler, sand martin, swallow, yellow wagtail? Keep your eyes open over the next few weeks and please do let us know of any sightings.
I also had a major excitement yesterday when I spotted my first butterfly of the year – a small tortoiseshell next to silt lagoon 6. I usually expect to see butterflies on warm days in early-mid March, so this is rather late, but at least they are on the move. Other species to expect in the coming weeks are comma, brimstone, orange-tip, speckled wood and green-veined white – keep a look out!
Also this week we have seen a marsh harrier over silt lagoon 6, the second in three weeks and a different individual based on obvious plumage differences. Two barn owls around the public footpath next to the silt lagoons were a lovely treat yesterday morning, four treecreepers were on the public footpath near the woodland (the most I have ever seen here), a Cetti’s warbler gave a short burst of song around silt lagoon 2 this morning, along with a very vocal green woodpecker calling from the woodland.