On Wednesday morning this week, we were able to do the first Breeding Bird Survey of 2013. This is one of my favourite activities on site – I love getting out onto site early, the reserve is beautiful that time in the morning and this week, the birds were in full voice!
Some time spent around silt lagoon 6 produced squealing water rail and singing Cetti’s warbler, as well as up to 6 reed buntings singing away. Phase 1 also produced several reed buntings, along with trilling little grebe and singing great tit, chaffinch, robin and wren.
Further down the public footpath and into the woodland, plenty more tits and finches were singing, a treecreeper was seen and a total of 3 song thrushes were singing across the site.
Overall, an impressive start to the survey season and great to pick up on some of the resident birds holding territory before the numerous warbler species descend on us later in the spring! Many thanks to volunteers Keith Stedman and Darren Hall for assisting with the survey.
Also on site this week is a female marsh harrier over Phase 2 on Wednesday, three siskin on the public footpath near the woodland and an excellent view of a buzzard sitting about 10 feet away from us as we drove down the entrance track on our way to Beckingham Marshes yesterday – lovely bird and a real treat to see so close.