On the Dusk Walk the other day, the party bumped into one of our Foxes (admittedly, not our favourite animal at the moment after consuming our Kingfisher brood...) and they came back to show me a picture of the prey it was carting off.

Initially they thought that she was only carrying a female Mallard but then you look a little harder and realise that she also has a huge Water Vole too in her maw!

We reckon that she…

On Monday I was lucky enough to see a family of Little Grebes with three absolutely tiny young. They must have been minutes old and could barely hold their heads up and still looked a little damp. Within a few minutes though at least one was in the water and both parents started on the fish supply production line that should keep them busy for the next few weeks.

Proud mum... (HTV)

You can even see the tiny white…

Some of the bigger Lapwing chicks are not too far away from fledging and have started at least to look a bit more like Lapwings! There a few young Redshanks around too so keep your eyes open and if you see any young of either species please let a volunteer or member of staff know!

aaahhhh.... (HTV)

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These little predators have some serious attitude and I love it when Jumping Spiders start to get bold and stroppy with you if you get up close.... They have such good vision that they can see themselves in the camera lens and often leap onto your camera for a better look!

Heliophanus flavipes -  a smart species with a shiny white bordered abdomen and yellow palps

I am uncertain as to which species of Jumper this…

Much to my delight I heard two male Corn Buntings singing away merrily on the edge of the grassed landfill site this morning. they can be heard and seen from the little car park at the end of the river wall as well as behind you when you are on the Serin Mound. A female bird (non-singing and looking agitated!) was being attended by both males.  From the photos I have received they have obviously been around for a while…

And just in case you were wondering, yes she is still around and we see her most days although she is a little more wary now and I suspect that she may be concentrating on raising a family somewhere nearby. I think that the last picture you saw of her she was carrying a frog like an Osprey!

(Marianne Taylor)

2-6-13

Now the weather has been a little better today with some good sunny spells and as susch there have been more butterflies on the wing with all three Whites, Holly Blue, Speckled Wood and Orange Tip being seen. The warmth has brought out a few Lizards today as well as a couple of large showy Grass Snakes infront of the Kingfisher-less Marshland Discovery Zone.

And lots of Glow-worms (above) around at the moment.  Watch…

Yesterday's Butterfly Bonanza walk was a great success other that the fact that there were no butterflies bar two Small Whites.... It basically became an Insect Afternoon walk and at least there were lots of hoverflies, spiders, other flies and a few damsels around..... We all had  great afternoon in the end!

Small White (Sarah Wynn-Jones)

Blue-tailed Damselfly (Sarah Wynn-Jones)

Eristalinus sepulchralis…

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The first week in June is about right for our first baby Shelduck to appear. There has been lots of activity this year and they certainly appear to be nesting in the old rabbit and fox den in the middle of Aveley Marsh.  Still plenty of 'chase me!' going on but ducks always seem to be engaging in such shenanigans....

(Craig Burnett)

2-6-13

I have noticed on recent mornings that the local Song Thrushes are back in full song. I suspect that they have already had their first broods and the males are busily reaffirming their territories before giving it another go.  Small birds have to cram so much breeding activity into such a short spaces of time that there barely seems to be time to have a day off before starting the process all over again.

(Dawn Cowan…

Just how often do you see a Wren without it's tail cocked? Well, I happen to have been sent two images that show just that! And cracking they are too!

Relaxing (Bill Crooks)

Looking for a snack (Chris Lowe)

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