It's always a bit of a culture shock coming back to work after ten days, but taking a holiday in early April means that Minsmere looks very different to when I last saw it.
The first, and most obvious, change is that the place looks much greener as many of the trees are now bursting into leaf. The second change is the much stronger scent of coconut wafting around the reserve from the gorgeous golden gorse.
Of course, there's also been some significant changes in the birdlife with migrants coming, going and passing through. Bitterns are much more vocal now, and have begun courtship flights over the reedbed. Marsh harriers are already nesting but continue to display. The reedbeds are becoming much noisier places too with little grebes whinnying, water rails squealing and the first reed and sedge warblers singing. A lovely adult black tern was at Island Mere yesterday, but hasn't been seen today.
Reed warbler by Jon Evans
On the Scrape, Mediterranean gulls have peaked at over 90, avocets continue to display, black-tailed godwits have increased to 40+ and a few yellow-legged and Caspian gulls are often present. The first greenshanks, spotted redshanks, little ringed plovers and grey plovers have been seen this week, with variable numbers of dunlins, oystercatchers, lapwings and redshanks also present. A drake mandarin has taken up residence on West Scrape, where he is busily displaying to a female mallard!
A pair of stone-curlews has returned to the field behind the visitor centre, and can be seen from the North Wall. Three wheatears were on the same field today, with a ring ouzel there earlier int he week, while a black redstart has been seen around the pond today. Wheatears were also seen on the Chapel Field and in the dunes today. Willow warblers have been seen in the sluice bushes this week, and the first whitethroat was in the North Bushes this morning.
Wheatear by Jon Evans
Among the more unusual visitors over the last week or so have been a black kite, osprey, several red kites and a couple of spoonbills, though non of these hung around for long.
Stoats have been showing very well today, and four otters were at Island Mere this afternoon. Adders were seen well last week, but proved more elusive today. The variety of butterflies has increased too with the first holly blues, orange tips and speckled woods now on the wing.
What else will arrive this week?