Another week of Springwatch is over, with more amazing wildlife stories and footage to remind us all what an amazing place Minsmere is, and how much wildlife is out around the country, often unseen by even most observant wildlife enthusiasts.
From the incredible journeys of tiny red-necked phalaropes from Shetland to the Pacific Coast of South America (possibly via Minsmere after our recent sightings), to the sci-fi like moult of crabs into bigger shells, nature has once again inspired with it's stories.
And Minsmere's wildlife has not disappointed either. Our sticklebacks continue to attract a crowd on the Island Mere boardwalk, with some visitors trying to get a selfie with Spineless Si and Frisky Phil. There are also some sticklebacks in the ditch between Wildlife Lookout and South Belt Crossroads.
Of course, sticklebacks are food for bitterns, and the stars of last year's serious are making sure they don't miss out on the action this year. We've already found six bittern nests, so with females busy finding food for their chicks they are regularly seen flying over the reserve - or even feeding close to some of the hides. One female likes to feed near North Hide, from where the shoveler chicks recently hatched and left the nest.
There are chicks galore on the reserve at the moment. It looks likely to be a good year for breeding avocets, with many of their chicks already well grown and acquiring the beginnings of their adult plumage. Broods of shelducks and mallards can be seen on the Scrape too, as well as our three resident feral goose species: greylag, Canada and barnacle. There are black-headed gull chicks in some nests, lots of common terns nesting, and also nesting oystercatchers, lapwings and redshanks on the Scrape.
Spring wader migration is tailing off now, but both curlew sandpiper and knot have been seen on the Scrape today along with a few dunlins, while odd greenshanks were seen earlier in the week. It seems hard to believe, but the first southbound spotted redshanks could begin to return in the next ten days!
Marsh harriers and hobbies are actively hunting over the reedbed, and the former have well grown chicks in their nests now. young bearded tits remain very visible from the North Wall - though they don't tend to sit in the open and pose and you may only get fleeting glimpses. Reed and sedge warblers are busily feeding chicks too. Mute swans and great crested grebes have young at Island Mere too.
Mute swan with cygnets by Oscar Dewhurst
In the woods, broods of blue, great and long-tailed tits are appearing and the first great spotted woodpeckers are beginning to fledge. Good numbers of butterflies and dragonflies can be seen in sunny, sheltered woodland edges and paths too, including Norfolk hawker, four-spotted chaser and azure damselflies, peacock and orange tip butterflies. A few painted ladies arrived along the dunes today.
There are mammals too, with regular sightings of stoat, rabbit, muntjac, red deer and grey squirrel, otters at Island Mere and water voles at the pond.
The reserve is awash with colour too, with southern marsh orchids blooming alongside yellow flag irises and ragged robin in the wetlands, sheep's sorrel and thyme-leaved speedwell on the grasslands, and biting stonecrop and hounds-tongue around the car park.
Southern marsh orchid by Ian Barthorpe
We've also seen a few more unusual visitors this week, including two red kites today, a ringtail hen harrier yesterday, and six spoonbills yesterday - plus the long-staying great white egret.
Why not come along and see the wildlife for yourself and let it inspire you further.