They say that one swallow doesn't make a summer, but one cliff swallow certainly made for a fantastic autumn and a manically busy weekend. Having entertained the crowds all day on Saturday, including circling the coach parked in the coach bay until 4.20 pm, the cliff swallow duly emerged from its roost soon after first light on Sunday morning. Unfortunately for the gathering crowd of birdwatchers, it immediately decided to depart southwards and was not seen again after 7.15 am. All but two of the remaining swallows left too, so we can only hope that this lost American stays with its European cousins and makes it's way to Africa for the winter.
A panoramic view of the crowd watching the cliff swallow on Saturday
While it's true that one swallow doesn't make a summer, I always feel that one swan certainly does make a winter. As soon as I see my first returning "wild" swan (whooper or Bewick's), I know that winter has arrived. Well, that was officially today. Although we've had a couple of Bewick's swans around for about ten days already, and others passing through on route to the Fens, I hadn't managed to spot one of them until today, when I saw two resting on East Scrape.
It certainly felt like winter had arrived over the weekend, with a brisk northerly wind picking up on Saturday. This wind has certainly whipped a good swell on the sea, with breakers roaring up the beach amidst a swirl of froth, and a salty mist hanging over the dunes.
These same northerly winds have brought a few interesting seabirds past Minsmere today too, including two little auks, a pomarine skua, three eiders, three red-breasted mergansers, 300+ common scoters, and several brent geese.
With the drop in temperature it's no surprise that sightings of butterflies and dragonflies have dropped off over the weekend, though the odd migrant hawker, common darter or red admiral may still be seen in a sheltered sunny spot.
Of course, there's still lots of exciting wildlife to spot at Minsmere in winter, providing you are wrapped up warm enough to wait for something special. The purple sandpiper that has been favouring the sluice outfall was pushed onto the Scrape this morning by the stormy seas, where it joined the odd grey plover, spotted redshank, dunlin and turnstone as well as snipe, lapwings and hundreds of ducks.
Up to four otters have been regular at Island Mere - as you can see from Limpy's superb series of photos in this forum post - as have bitterns, marsh harriers, water rails, bearded tits and a pair of stonechats. The black swan remains with up to 40 mute swans, but the main attraction at the mere today was arguably the huge flock of 130+ cormorants. The poor gulls couldn't find anywhere to sit on the island!.
A smaller group of cormorants is much more typical at Island Mere
And finally, don't forget that we still have a large murmuration of starlings over the Scrape as duck approaches. Their preferred location does vary so check at reception for the most recent news, and make sure you are watching no later than 4 pm - preferably by 3.45 pm.