Apologies for the paucity of 'recent sightings' type blogs of late. Been a bit bogged down with other stuff so here is a little summary of some of the current highlights.
Winter is morphing slowly into spring and although the weather has not changed to any noticeable degree, there has been a shift in our bird populations with the main Lapwing flock starting to disperse and our own breeding birds largely already back on territory and giving it large with tumbling and chasing antics. We have a little sweepstake at work on when the first egg will be laid... will it beat the 16th Mach from last year?
Lapwing (Mark Vale)
Amongst the Lapwings we still have sizeable flock of Golden Plover, one or two of which are jut starting to acquire a few black splodges of summer plumage underneath.
Goldies and Lapwings (Lawrence Rogers)
And a Dunlin with Goldies (Lawrence Rogers)
Oystercatchers are now back for the 'summer' and can be seen in Aveley Bay and on the Concrete Barges while stripy Snipe still lurk around the pool edges We have had to continue pumping water onto the pools over the last few weeks to bring the levels up to the what we (and the birds) require for optimal breeding conditions but it now looks superb out there and just waiting for the first Little Ringed Plover to arrive in the next few days!
Snipe (David Dent)
The Marsh Harriers are still patrolling and the two males are looking especially resplendent while a Merlin had been seen with some regularity hunting out on Wennington. This is the best time of year to catch up with this species here.
Merlin (Paul Hawkins)
Reed Buntings are now looking smart and the male Dartford Warbler of our pair has even started singing but I cannot imagine them staying too much longer. There are still Stonechats on the circuit and Cetti's Warblers have been vocal.
Dartford Warbler (Ken Copleston)
Stonechat (Ken Copleston)
Chiffchaffs now seem more obvious in the woodland but whether these are locals or new migrants is unsure.
Chiffchaff (Anne Keenan)
Both Water and Scandinavian Rock Pipits are still to be found and are starting to colour up nicely as are the Linnets along the river wall. The latter especially like the gorse section near the Serin Mound. The odd Redwing and Fieldfare are still around and one of the latter has been spending its days listening for worms on the lawn by the picnic benches...
Fieldfare (Paul Hutchison)
Fieldfare (Max Hellicar)
Water Pipit (Alan Reynolds).
Scandinavian Rock Pipit (Lawrence Rogers)
Linnet (Russ Sherriff)
It I beginning to look like the Kingfishers may soon be back on show at the MDZ as some spring cleaning of the burrow has been seen in recent days so we shall keep our fingers crossed that we have another successful breeding season.
Kingfisher (John Ferguson)
And last but no least we still have up to five Short-eared Owls patrolling the reserve and they are still affording excellent views if the weather is on both their and your side!
Short-eared Owl (Mark Braun)
That should keep you going for a while and I promise to try and get back to more regular updates.
9-3-16
Howard Vaughan, Information Officer