What a difference it makes to see the sun for a prolonged period. It has been so nice to be able to enjoy a few days of sun, and it has certainly brought with it a change in the behaviour of some of our wildlife.
For a start, the warmer, sunny weather has tempted a much bigger range of insects to emerge into their adult forms, making species such as bees, butterflies and dragonflies much more obvious – their larval phases often live underground, under water, or hidden safely among the vegetation. The adults, have to quickly set about the crucial business of breeding and that makes them much easier for us to see.
After the first Hairy Dragonflies emerged last week to join the early Large Red Damselflies on the wing, this week has seen the emergence of both Broad-bodied and Four-spotted Chaser dragonflies and most of Minsmere’s blue damselflies: Azure, Variable, Common Blue, Blue-tailed and Red-eyed Damselflies.
Large Red Damselfly by Steve Everett (above) and Hairy Dragonfly (below)
Butterflies, too, are more numerous and more varied. Some of the more notable species seen this week include Small Heath, Small Copper, Holly Blue, Green Hairstreak, Orange Tip and Brimstone, along with the common whites and several of the familiar “garden” butterflies.
Although it’s a little early for most of the star species of Digger Alley to emerge, we are now seeing several of the earlier mining-bees emerging, including Sandpit Mining-bee and its parasite the Sandpit Blood-bee.
Sandpit Mining-bee by Steve Everett
With all these insects around, it’s no surprise that there are also lots of insectivorous birds feeding upon them. At least 10 Hobbies are busy hawking dragonflies and St Mark’s Flies above the reedbed and along the woodland edge. Cuckoos can be heard from the car park most days, and when not singing they will search for juicy hairy caterpillars.
Warblers are everywhere, always testing your birdsong ID skills and frustratingly remaining hidden from view most of the time. Blackcaps are throughout the woods, with the similar-sounding Garden Warbler best from the car park entrance and North Bushes. Whitethroats and Lesser Whitethroats may be heard from Whin Hill and the North Bushes. More unusual at Minsmere these days is a Willow Warbler that has been singing at the car park entrance this week, while the Nightingale is still singing there too.
The sound of warblers is even more obvious within the reedbed where Sedge, Reed and Cetti’s Warblers are all very vocal. Listen carefully and you may pick out the simpler song of the Reed Bunting or the pinging calls of Bearded Tits, while Bitterns continue to boom regularly.
Talking of Bitterns, this is a fantastic time to see them, too. I watched no fewer than four different birds from Bittern Hide in just five minutes on Wednesday, with two feeding in the short reeds of the cut areas in front of the hide while two others flew past at close range. Marsh Harriers also continue to hunt close to the reedbed hides.
Bittern by David Naylor
The first rare wader of the spring has been found on the Scrape today in the shape of tiny Temminck’s Stint, one of the smallest waders in the world. This is not an annual visitor to Minsmere, and can be tricky to spot as they often feed among short vegetation.
Other waders passing through this week have included Knot, Sanderling, Dunlin, Grey Plover, Greenshank, Common Sandpiper and Bar-tailed Godwit, along with the regular Black-tailed Godwits and breeding Lapwing, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover and Avocets.
Several Mediterranean Gulls remain among the Black-headed Gulls and Kittiwakes, and the odd Little Tern has been seen alongside the Common and Sandwich Terns. There has also been the odd Little Gull.
Adult Little Gull by Steve Everett - note the black underwings and dainty bill
Perhaps the rarest species at Minsmere this week, at least in a local context, was the Roe Deer spotted by one of our regulars. Finally, we are still seeing Common Cranes daily, usually in flight above the reedbed, and at least one Spoonbill is commuting between the Scrape and South Levels.
A reminder, too, that you can still book places on next week’s Dawn Chorus Experience. There are also spaces for tomorrow’s walk, but these must be booked by ringing us on 01728 648281 before 4 pm today.