The barnacle geese have finally left us for their Northern breeding grounds in Svalbard! The reserve seems eerily quiet without them, but with the spring migrants arriving thick and fast, there is still plenty to see on the reserve.
We have had swallow and sand martin for a couple of weeks now, and warblers such as chiffchaff, have been kicking around for quite some time.
Other arrivals include blackcap, willow warbler, whitethroat and grasshopper warbler.
Skylark can be heard singing along the Merse, and the male lapwing have got in to full swing with their acrobatic aerial displays.
More unusually, we have had a green winged teal on the reserve for the past few days.
We are holding a Natterjack Toad evening walk on Wednesday 12Th May, running from 8pm-10pm. If you fancy coming along, please contact the reserve on 01387 780579, to book your place!
For those of you who like lists, our new residential Volunteer has been keeping a “Mersehead list” of birds seen during his stay… this is what he has seen in the last three weeks.
Mute swan
Canada goose
Barnacle goose
Shelduck
Mallard
Gadwall
Pintail
Shoveler
Wigeon
Teal
Tufted duck
Goldeneye
Green Winged teal
Pheasant
Little grebe
Cormorant
Little egret
Grey Heron
Buzzard
Sparrow hawk
Kestrel
Water rail
Moorhen
Coot
Oystercatcher
Lapwing
Curlew
Redshank
Black-headed Gull
Lesser Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
Feral Pigeon
Wood pigeon
Collared Dove
Barn Owl
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Skylark
Sand Martin
House martin
Swallow
Meadow pipit
Pied Wagtail
Wren
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Song thrush
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Willow warbler
Blue tit
Great tit
Jackdaw
Rook
Carrion Crow
Starling
House Sparrow
Tree Sparrow
Chaffinch
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Linnet
Yellowhammer
Reed bunting
Tree creeper
Common sandpiper
Wheatear
Greenshank
Greylag goose
Whitethroat
Grasshopper warbler
Sedge Warbler.
Snipe
Black-tailed Godwit
Ringed plover
Keeley