It may be bit of a cliché, but nature never ceases to amaze me. However many times I walk around Minsmere, I invariably encounter something unusual, unexpected or simply bizarre. It may an unusually high count of a certain species - as with the recent record counts of Shoveler and Pintail - or a surprise meeting with a Slow Worm or Stoat on the path. Sometimes it might be something exceptionally rare, like the Humpback Whale that I watched offshore many years ago, or the White-tailed Eagle that flew low over the Scrape last Friday (I wasn't here that day). Or it may just be a common species in an expected location.
My lunchtime walk yesterday was the perfect example. I decided to walk the Island Mere for a change, and to go the "wrong" way - via Canopy Hide first. The walk started well, as I was just a few hundred metres from the Work Centre when a Treecreeper perched in the nearest tree to me. As usual, it immediately circled the trunk, hiding on the far side before flitting to the base of the next tree and circling up the that trunk, probing for insects. Whilst I was watching this gorgeous little bird, it was joined in the same tree by an even smaller one. A Goldcrest.
Treecreeper by Jon Evans
Once both birds had disappeared into the undergrowth, the next part of my walk was quite uneventful - until I reached the Rhododendron Tunnel. I could hear Common Cranes calling in the distance and radioed this news through to the Visitor Centre. This pair has been seen around the reedbed for several weeks, but had eluded me so far, so I was pleased to at least have heard them this time, but what happened next was a complete surprise, and probably one of my best wildlife encounters ever at Minsmere (which is saying something!)
As I put the radio back in my pocket I looked up to see a large light brown bird walking along the path just ten metres in front of me. I was just thinking, "That's a bright female Pheasant," when my brain registered what I was actually watching: a Bittern! In the woods! Yes, you read that right. A Bittern in the woods, walking along the visitor trail!
Typically, I hadn't taken my camera out of its case so just stood in shock and watched as the Bittern ambled slowly along the path before strutting through the wet woodland off disappearing into the reeds just as another boomed nearby - the first one I'd heard booming this year although they have now been booming for a couple of weeks.
As I didn't have my camera ready, here's an old photo of a Bittern
Recovering from this shock sighting, I removed my camera from its case before entering Island Mere Hide - and was pleased that I had. The small group of visitors in the hide whispered, "Sparrowhawk," just as a huge female flew leisurely across the cut area in front of the hide. Luckily she perched again, albeit briefly, on top of a pile of cut vegetation, allowing those of us with cameras to grab a few quick shots before she continued her hunting through the reeds.
Yesterday's female Sparrowhawk
Even that wasn't the end of my close encounters with nature yesterday. Marsh Harriers were hunting and displaying close to both reedbed hides, and I heard both Cetti's Warbler and Water Rail at both locations, too. Out on the mere, I watched Little and Great Crested Grebes and Coots pairing up - the latter being typically aggressive to their neighbours.
Booming Bitterns and displaying grebes are just a couple of the many signs of spring that can be seen around the reserve now. A Chiffchaff has been singing in North Bushes for several days, a very early Swallow was seen a week ago, Adders are increasingly regular (though not in this morning's rain), the first Early Colletes bees and Buff-tailed Bumblebees have emerged, and the Daffodils are in full bloom at the Visitor Centre.
Daffodil - perfect for St David's Day
One of the most obvious signs of spring is the return of the Black-headed Gulls and first Mediterranean Gulls on the Scrape, although the continuing high water levels are keeping numbers low for the moment as there are no islands for them to claim as their territories. The Avocets should be starting to return soon, but they'll need the islands to become exposed, too. This also means that the Sluice Track remains closed, and ensures that the best views of the Scrape are often from North Hide, rather than East Hide. Numbers of the wintering ducks - Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler, Pintail - are all starting to fall, and the Whooper Swans haven't been seen for a couple of days. In contrast, a couple of Pochards have joined the growing flock of Tufted Ducks and pair of Great Crested Grebes have set up home on the Scrape.