The pond area has been the centre of attention at Minsmere for the last few days as our sand martins have begun returning to their burrows. So far the biggest count is about 30 birds, but we're expecting many more to arrive over the next few weeks. The first two swallows were spotted over the weekend, too, and we've just seen the first house martin over the year.
While the sand martins are investigating their burrows, there has been considerable activity at the foot of the sandy bank as various burrowing insects have emerged and are busy going through the important process of preparing their nests and laying their eggs. Much of this activity comes from two species of mining-bee - the Clarke's mining-bee and cliff mining-bee - but they are far from the only species present. Eagle-eyed visitors and volunteers have also spotted green tiger beetles, hoverflies, at least one species of nomad bee and several species of bumblebee - red-tailed, buff-tailed and white-tailed bumblebees and common carder bees. There have also been a few dark-edged beeflies - one of my favourite insects. These are nest parasites and will be laying their eggs in the burrows of the various bee species, on whose larvae the beefly larva will feed.
A dark-edged beefly
The other area that has attracted a lot of interest this week is Island Mere, where we've upgraded the path to (hopefully) reduce the incidence of flooding. This morning one of our volunteers heard the distinctive buzzing song of a Savi's warbler. Only a handful of pairs of Savi's warblers nest in the UK each year, and Minsmere is one of their most regular sites, with two birds heard around Island Mere for the last couple of springs. However, this is a very early arrival, and almost beat the first sedge warbler back - that was also heard at Island Mere this morning.
Two jack snipe have been seen in the cut reeds in front of Island Mere Hide for the past week or so, but as is typical of this species they have proved to be very difficult to spot. In fact, they've been impossible to see most of the time. There are also up to six common snipe there for comparison. The key features to look for with jack snipe are a much shorter bill, no pale stripe down the centre of the crown, and split supercilium (eyebrow) and a distinctive bobbing motion. Beware, though, as common snipe also bob - just not as prolifically.
Other birds to see (or in some cases only hear) around Island Mere include Cetti's warblers, bearded tits, reed buntings, water rails, bitterns and marsh harriers, while on the mere itself there are little and great crested grebes, otters, tufted ducks and two male pochards. Our volunteer guides have reported the first marsh harrier food pass and bittern courtship flight today, so breeding must be underway.
One of several reed buntings that were singing at Island Mere today
Another notable sighting in this area was a stunning male ring ouzel that spent yesterday on Whin Hill. Also known as the moorland blackbird, this is a scarce migrant in Suffolk, pausing on route form North Africa to breeding sites in the uplands of northern Britain or Scandinavia.
Not wanting to be outdone, the gulls on the Scrape are making enough noise to remind visitors to pay them some attention too, with some of our keener visitors picking out the odd Caspian gull and common gull among the black-headed. Mediterranean and herring gulls. The first Sandwich terns returned over the weekend too.
As well as increasing numbers of avocets, redshanks and oystercatchers, waders on the Scrape this week have included ruff, grey plover, dunlin, turnstone, ringed plover and knot. All three smew remain, though continue to be mobile, while numbers of the other six ducks species present on the Scrape continue to fall as they head back towards Siberia. These six species are wigeon, mallard, gadwall, teal, shoveler and shelduck.
Returning migrants reported in the woods so far are good numbers of chiffchaffs and blackcaps and the first willow warbler - though the latter has not been heard around the visitor trails yet. Two nuthatches were also seen along the Woodland Trail this week.
A chiffchaff in full song this morning
Although temperatures are set to drop this week , we can still expect more migrants to trickle and, with the first nightingales likely in the next ten days or so. We're also hoping that the first female adders might finally emerge from hibernation to join the males along the Adder Trail.
With so much to see, why not book a place on our next guided walk - a spring weekend wildlife walk on Saturday morning.
The blackthorn blossom looks superb around the car park entrance