In the week that I've been away, there's been some significant changes among our wildlife, but some things remain the same. Not least among these, is the weather, which remains wet, windy and wild. There's been a welcome respite today, but it looks like the stormy conditions are set to return later in the week. Luckily, it doesn't bother the wildlife too much.
One consequence of the rain is that the paths are a bit wet and muddy in places, so please bring suitable footwear if you are planning a visit. A decent pair of waterproof trainers or walking boots will be sufficient on most paths, but the path from South Hide to the sluice is currently only passable in wellington boots.
One of the most obvious changes in the last week has been the blooming of blackthorn in the hedges, whilst most of the daffodils are now flowering outside the visitor centre.
Blackthorn, or sloe, blossom
Another change has been the arrival of some of the breeding species in advance of the breeding season. These include Mediterranean gulls, oystercatchers and ringed plovers on the Scrape and little and great crested grebes at Island Mere. These species may not be considered as summer migrants, but their return each spring is as much a reminder that the seasons are changing as the arrival of the first chiffchaffs or sand martins in mid March.
A third significant indicator that spring is just around the corner is the emergence of male adders to bask. They always emerge several weeks in advance of the females, which won't be seen until April. March is the best month to look for adders and our volunteer guides will be keeping a close eye on them over the next few weeks, so it always worth asking at reception to find out whether they are around. Early to mid mornings, when the sun is shining, provide the best conditions to find adders. Look out for a few early butterflies or bumblebees in similar weather conditions too.
Adder, by Steve Everett
Of course, the returning birds and emerging hibernators are not the only species to look for, with otters continuing to steal the headlines. As well as the regular sightings at both Island Mere (where I glimpsed one this afternoon) and Bittern Hide, an otter continues to chase sticklebacks into a sluice pipe close to Wildlife Lookout, offering visitors some amazing views. Again, check at reception for the latest news on otter sightings.
Avocet numbers are increasing on the Scrape, with counts now in excess of 30 most days. Black-tailed godwits, curlews and turnstones should be present too. The drake green-winged teal was found on East Scrape again today, after going missing for a few days, and the redhead smew remains as well. Both of these scarce ducks can be elusive and tricky to find among the large flocks of wigeons, gadwalls, teals, mallards, shovelers, shelducks, pintails and lapwings. Barnacle, greylag and Canada geese and a variety of commoner gull species should be present too.
As well as the grebes and otters, Island Mere is a good place to look for snipe, water rails and bearded tits, with both reed bunting and stonechat seen there this week. Cetti's warblers can often be heard singing there, and bitterns are beginning to boom more regularly. It's also the best place to look for birds of prey, especially marsh harriers which are now displaying regularly. I saw no fewer than eight buzzards circling over Sizewell woods this afternoon, and there are regular sightings of peregrine, sparrowhawk and kestrel, as well as the occasional red kite. We've also had a couple of reports of small murmurations of starlings around Island Mere over the weekend. We'll keep checking them and let you know if numbers build up.
Male marsh harrier, by Steve Everett
A better place to look for stonechats is along the dunes, where several pairs are setting up territory. so, too, are Dartford warblers. Please remember that these birds are sensitive to disturbance so don't try to get too close to them as you risk them deserting their nest.
Finally, a reminder that you can join one of our regular guided walks by following the links from our events pages, while the more adventurous among you may like to join us for the first RSPB Suffolk Go Wild Spring Sportive on Sunday. This is a multi-surface cycle event, with routes of 10, 30 or 65 miles to choose from. For further details, or to book your place, please see here.