Welcome to the first recent sightings update for North Warren. I'll do my best to add records at least a couple of times a month, but I rarely get to visit this fabulous reserve myself to see what's about. From talking ot the warden today it sounds like I need ot make a visit soon. Here's a summary of recent sightings.
Duck numbers are falling rapidly, but there are still several wigeons, teals, gadwalls, shovelers, pintails and mallards present. Surprisingly, there are still two white-fronted geese ont he marshes too. This is very late, as they should have followed their cousins back to Russia by now (we had about 450 during the winter, as well as thousands of ducks). There are ten little egrets on the marshes, where lapwings, redshansk and a couple of pairs of oystercatchers are busy displaying.
In the reedbed, there are two booming bitterns and two pairs of marsh harriers. Cetti's warblers seem to be doing very well, despite the cold winter. The same can't be said on the heath, where only one pair of woodlarks and no stonechats have been located so far. Thankfully at least three pairs of Dartford warblers have survived.
Migrants are arriving each day. There are already good numbers of sedge and willow warblers, chiffchaffs and blackcaps singing, as well as sand martins, swallows and a few house martins. Mediterranean gulls have flown over on several dates. Buzzards have also been seen several times in recent weeks. Best of the migrants were an osprey and three common cranes in late March, and a ring ouzel and blue-headed wagtail (continental race of yellow wagtail) today.
There was very exciting news this morning too, as an Exmoor pony foal was born on the heath. It's amazing how spindly legged and helpless they look when they are first born, but no doubt he'll be chasing around the heath within a few days.
Have you seen anything else at North Warren? Why not add your record via the Birdtrack website, or start a Forum post?