Working at Minsmere has to be one of the best jobs ever - even if I do spend much of the day in front of a computer rather out enjoying the wildlife. Afterall, as highlighted in the latest (Summer 2016) issue of Nature's Home magazine, Minsmere is the Number One RSPB nature reserve when it comes to biodiversity - the variety of life found here. No fewer than 5798 have been identified here. We are also top of the charts for the number of bird species on 326, land mammals (28) and fungi (1436), as well having more than 1000 species of moth on the reserve list.
Obviously, some of these species have only been recorded here once or twice (eg last summer's black-browed albatross or the scarce tortoiseshell from the previous summer), while others are easily seen every day - such as the blue tits, chaffinches or rabbits around the visitor centre.
One advantage of working at Minsmere is that you can easily relieve the stresses of the office by heading out at lunchtime to spot some wildlife. On one such walk this week I was able to spot my first swift of the year over Island Mere on Thursday, followed by a lovely bee-fly nectaring in a patch of ground ivy on Whin Hill and some tiny cornsalad in flower. This more than made up for failing to spot the adder that I had actually gone out to look for.
Whilst in Island Mere Hide on Thursday I caught a glimpse of what might have been a hobby disappearing behind the poplars at Eastbridge. It was, therefore, no surprise to hear that at least two hobbies were seen over Island Mere today, circling with the sand martins, swallows and house martins in pursuit of insects. In fact, one lucky person even managed to photograph two hobbies together.
Hobby by Oscar Dewhurst (taken two years ago during BBC Springwatch)
Other newly arrived migrants seen this week include more ring ouzels, wheatears, a couple of redstarts, yellow wagtails and reed warblers. Highlights on the Scrape have included bar-tailed godwits, whimbrels, a lovely summer plumage spotted redshank, common and Sandwich terns and Mediterranean gulls, alongside the avocets, black-tailed godwits, redshanks and black-headed gulls. A jack snipe has been seen at North Hide again today too.
Other highlights have included regular sightings of peregrines, adders, otters, stoats, bearded tits, marsh harriers and linnets, as well as a few orange tip butterflies.
Orange tip by Sue Tranter (rspb-images.com)
What will the next week bring in?