I was itching to get out of the office and onto the reserve today for a lunchtime walk for many reasons.
There had been sightings of little terns on the reserve today.
Kittiwakes were reported on the scrape.
Hobbys had been spotted across the reserve.
Juvenile adders had been about over the weekend.
It was a gloriously bright (if not warm) day.
I had missed Minsmere.
Last week I was on a First Aid At Work course which is very important and was very enjoyable but it meant I had been away from Minsmere for six days. At several points during the course I wondered what was going on at the reserve and it was great to be able to see some of the highlights via twitter but to be quite honest I missed Minsmere and couldn’t wait to be back in this special place.
This morning Ian shared with us his very exciting sightings of four turtle doves which he had seen and heard from the footpath on Westleton Heath, just off the entrance road to Minsmere. This was very happy news to receive and to put up onto the Visitor Centre board. He also reported seeing two nightingales, one whitethroat, one lesser whitethroat and a garden warbler in this same location, a real treat for a Monday morning.
Over the course of the morning there had been reports of little terns (33 counted), two sandwich terns, two common terns, two common sandpiper as well as 27 kittiwakes on the South Scrape. So at lunchtime it was in this direction that I headed with a colleague in search of some of these splendid birds. The bluebells as we walked through the woodland area were bright and fragrant and Cetti’s warblers were singing near to The Wildlife Lookout. With the sun on our backs it really was turning out to be a delightful lunchtime stroll.
When we got to South Hide the Scrape was alive with activity and as I watched carefully it was clear to see that there was a lot going on and many dramas were happening amongst each group. I was very lucky to spot some little terns on one of the islands fairly close to the front of the hide. On a nearby island there were several kittiwakes relaxing in the sun and to my far left there were some common terns. I saw one hovering before diving rapidly after a fish and then doing a flyby of the hide allowing me to get a few pictures.
Many of the birds were busy feeding, even a magpie took a flight over the scrape causing a commotion in its path below. Other birds were busy defending nesting sites and breeding partners. I was absorbed in a scene happening in front of the hide where an avocet kept coming too close to a pair of avocets with one sitting on a nest. It eventually gave up and admitted defeat skulking back into the water to carry on feeding.
I eventually managed to tear myself away from the action and walked back towards the Visitor Centre. Just before I passed the wildlife lookout I saw a hobby feeding in the reedbed in front of Bittern Hide searching below for dragonflies. Although a fair distance away this was truly an awesome sight and just topped off my wonderful lunchtime walk.
I think it is clear to see why I missed Minsmere.