Remember Spineless Si and Fearless Fred? These tiny fish became firm favourites during the second season of BBC Springwatch filming at Minsmere in 2015 as they valiantly defended their nests against other sticklebacks and various raiders, including otters, grey herons and bitterns.
With the Springwatch cameras rolling at their new home in Gloucestershire, it seems an apt time to remember these and other stars of their three years at Minsmere. From the incredible bittern footage and devastating destruction of avocet nests to a marauding badger in year one, to the desperately disappointing loss of the stone-curlew nest in year three, there was always something to grab our attention. We wish Springwatch all the best for the next chapter in the story.
The Springwatch cameras filmed the stickleback action in the shallow ditch running parallel to the Island Mere boardwalk, and this continues to be a great place to watch sticklebacks during late spring and early summer. When the breeding season is underway the males become much brighter and devote all their time to guarding the nest of eggs that the females have laid in the soft mud at the bottom of the ditch. This guarding duty also involves fanning the nest with their fins to ensure that a good supply of oxygenated water passing over the developing eggs.
Photo from Google Images
Sticklebacks are one of the 70 species to spot at Minsmere this year, but they're not the only fish that you might see here. The ditch between Southbelt Crossroads and the Wildlife Lookout is a good place to look for red-finned roach and rudd and zebra-striped perch, especially on a sunny day.
This ditch is also a good place to see damselflies, including the red-eyed damselfly. One or two more Norfolk hawkers have been seen this weekend, and the first southern hawkers were reported yesterday.
Talking of insects, one of the stars of the bioblitz so far was a broad-bordered bee-hawkmoth that was photographed near the visitor centre this afternoon. Other notable species seen so far include giant cranefly - the UK's largest fly by wingspan, and great silver diving beetle - one of our largest beetles. Unusual birds seen over the weekend include spoonbill, sanderling, red kite and honey-buzzard, while mammals already include otter, badger and water shrew.
The species list so far is around 500 species, including 108 birds, about 180 flowering plants and 60 moths. However, once our fly expert has had a chance to identify his specimens under the microscope that list is sure to increase. We're also hoping to welcome a wasp and ant expert tomorrow, as well as colleaguies from our Reserves Ecology department, so the list should increase considerably tomorrow. Watch this space.