It's almost that time of year where winter meets spring and examples of both seasons wildlife can be seen on site. At least one redhead smew is still around, having been visible from the new viewing screen looking south on Tuesday afternoon - albeit very briefly! The birds are still very mobile, but spend some time at the screen and you may get lucky. Teal, wigeon, redwing in the woodland and passing flocks of chacking fieldfare overhead are also reminding us that it is only the middle of February.
Despite that however, it is feeling distinctly spring like at times, with singing birds everywhere including skylark, chaffinch, greenfinch, mistle and song thrush, dunnock, robin, great tit and reed bunting. One species we haven't heard singing yet is Cetti's warbler. Cetti's usually sing all winter, but the species has been absent from Langford for a while now. We live in hope that they will return and spring is a great time to listen out for their explosive song. Please do keep an ear open around the silt lagoons from the public footpath and let us know if you hear any.
More signs of spring in the last week have come in the form of the return of two Langford breeding bird species - oystercatcher and ringed plover. I was pleased to hear that our Conservation Officer, Carl Cornish picked up the first oystercatchers on the Phase 1 islands from the Beach Hut last weekend. The pair has been in residence on the small gravel islands in front of the Beach Hut, or the larger central island for the last week, so fingers crossed for a successful breeding season for them. The ringed plover were found on silt lagoon 5 (second south from the Beach Hut) on Tuesday afternoon by volunteer Graham Gamage. Ringed plover have bred successfully on site for the last two years, so look out for birds displaying on the Phase 1 islands in the coming weeks.
I'm still waiting for my first bumblebee or butterfly of the year, on warm, calm days it is well worth a look out in sheltered areas, particularly on the eastern public footpath - the first queen Bombus, brimstone or peacock can't be far away!
Welcome return of oystercatcher (above) and ringed plover (below).
Oystercatcher - Chris Gomersall (rspb-images.com)
Ringed plover - Tom Marshall (rspb-images.com)