Wetland Bird Survey Report April 2024

The reserve is still closed... however there is light at the end of the watery tunnel and we have a tentative target of opening w/c 22nd April (to be confirmed). If this happens it'll just be a there-and-back-again walk to the 360 viewing area, but this is a good start and will allow people back into the heart of the reserve. The lower lying sections of the Visitor Trail are still currently welly-depth under water and even when they re-emerge they'll need time to dry. The outer perimeter footpath and carpark are open though and if you can brave the 4 mile walk, it is well worth doing, with recent sightings from the footpath including booming Bittern, Osprey, Cattle Egret, Sandwich Tern, Wheatear and a Black Kite (found by the mighty Mark Dawson)!! Following the addition of Woodlark to the Langford list earlier this year, Black Kite is the 220th species for the reserve... that is assuming you're happy counting the 2019 Eastern Stonechat as an Eastern Stonechat as it couldn't be assigned to a specific species (a poo sample for DNA analysis couldn't be collected!?) ... A lot of the common migrants have been seen this year already, with Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler and Sedge Warbler all being added to the Arrivals Board yesterday.

Photos of the Black Kite taken by James Wilkinson (2nd April - above) and Stuart Carlton (3rd April - below)

As for the April WeBS count. The weather was horrendous as Storm Kathleen battered the WeBS volunteers. This combined with the fallout from the flooding may explain the potentially lower than expected numbers. Spring is springing though, with the Oystercatchers looking for somewhere to nest and the stealthy Little-Ringed Plover being picked up.