Evening all ... firstly apologies for the lack of blog posts from me of late - so much to do and not enough hours in the day...
So what has been going on on the wildlife front?
Well, spring is on the wane and despite the recent drop in temperature and a cool northerly wind, the marsh is moving into summer mode with both the daily presence of flocks of Swifts vacuuming up countless insects and the innumerable offspring of almost any species you care to mention out across the marsh.
Swift - Bill crooks
There are Lapwing and Redshank chicks exploring wherever they fancy, including the main pathways and gaggles of gosling both Grey and Canadian poking heads through growing grass and with things speeding up there are now an appropriate number of cows and new calves on Aveley Marsh.
Canada Family - Andrew Rodger
Protective Redshank parents - Alasdair Wilcock
and a youngster with red legs already showing! - Alasdair Wilcock
and a young Lapwing with flight feathers progressing well! - Dawn Cowan
Mute Swans have hatched near the MDZ but are keeping out of the way and the Kingfishers have fledged at least one young with others still refusing to leave the burrow which is a bit odd.
Mrs Fisher - Ricky Blackman
I am sure that it will not be long till we have broods of Tufted Duck, Pochard and Shoveler to join the Mallards, Coots, Moorhens and Little Grebe although it does not look like the Great Crested Grebes are doing much this year.
Many small birds have already got their first broods off and Cetti’s Warblers have even been seen collecting new nest material and Reed Buntings are singing once again.
Reed Bunting - Russ Sherriff
Reed Warblers and Sedge Warblers are still going strong and a couple of Grasshopper Warblers are still reeling including one on the seaward side of the river wall of the turnstile gate (which is still out of action after being vandalised – sorry). The ringed Reed Warbler down at the MDZ has been extensively snapped and we are slowly piecing together the BTO ring number!
Cetti's Warbler - Russ Sherriff
Cetti's Warbler - Tom Bell
Reed Warbler profile in normal habitat - Russ Sherriff
and note how it changes when out feeding in the waterside bushes - Russ Sherriff
Sedge Warbler - Russ Sherriff
At least two female Cuckoos have been on the prowl and four or five males are patrolling the site and the Hobbies have been good on nice days and with a few damselflies and a handful of Hairy Hawkers and Four Spot Chasers to go after they have been a little more acrobatic although that did not stop one taking out a House Sparrow the other day before consuming it in front of the Purfleet Hide!
What a chance encounter! - Richard Burch
Four Spot Chaser - Jerry Hoare
Hairy Hawker - ovipositing - David Gonning
There has been some late spring raptor passage with a Black Kite on Friday and a female Montagu’s Harrier through on Sunday afternoon while the female Marsh Harriers have been seen less which we hope is a good sign. The Short-eared Owls are still with us although who knows whether they are actually ‘doing’ anything. For all we know they may all be males or females but the Barn Owls are definitely a pair and are feeding young.
Jane Hale was very pleased with here first ever Short-eared Owl encounter
SEO - Russ Sherriff
Room for one more vole - Russ Sherriff
As well as the dragons there are now a few more butterflies to be seen with glowing Orange Tips, iridescent Green Hairstreaks and even the first Brown Argus over by the Ken Barrett hide.
Green Hairstreak - by me
and a better one from Jerry Hoare
Green Veined White - Helen Mathias
Orange Tip - by me
The time when insects dominate proceedings is nearly upon us so I will leave you with one of my favourite Hoverflies.... Rhingia campestris – the Heiniken Fly – reaching the parts other flies cannot reach...