Security check walk - 3 April 2020 - Andrew Gouldstone

So I was on site briefly today, undertaking some essential site and building checks.

 

It still feels very strange being on the reserve with no one else around, and only a few people to be seen on the riverwall.

 

But the reserve was alive with birds. My first blackcap of the year was singing near the adventure playground. There were plenty of lapwing and redshank calling out on the marshes, and a quick check of several lapwing nests that I knew about from last week’s visit confirmed these birds were still sitting.

 

There are still lots of wildfowl on the marshes too – wigeon, pintail, teal – these will surely be heading north soon.

 

I heard two sedge warbler, one near the Ken Barrett hide and one at the western end of the northern boardwalk. Amazing as ever to think of the migrations these small birds undertake, returning from sub-Saharan Africa where they have spent the winter, to come back and nest in ‘our’ reedbeds.

 

Marsh harriers were very evident, and a peregrine at one point flew over Aveley Marsh.

Two each of whimbrel, curlew, black-tailed godwit, dunlin, oystercatcher and avocet were seen in Aveley Bay and the ravens were out over Wennington

And finally, some fresh evidence of water vole activity was seen next to the boardwalk through the woodland.