October’s been an interesting month! At times we’ve finally had the rainfall we desperately needed, but in general its been incredibly mild. Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve been able to do some large scale habitat management, cutting back much of the scrub along the paths and on the Draper scrape, both with a contractor and our excellent volunteer work parties. That possibly combined to lead to some different species landing at the reserve this month. Although I think its because I dared to have a week off that a Bittern and some Bearded Tits immediately arrived…

Thankfully Mel was back with some more mutterings, here they are alongside the rest of the sightings around the reserve, and as ever, a selection of photos from our great community over at the Friends of RSPB Rye Meads Facebook group.

Moths, Butterflies, and Odonata

After a little holiday I was back at the reserve on the 6^th, and the change in season was pretty noticeable although its still warm! Very few plants flowering now but the ivy is bursting and alive with insects. Red Admiral and Speckled Wood butterflies were on the wing along with several Migrant Hawker dragonflies. I also saw some Peacock butterflies later in the month. We also put the moth trap out a couple of times, on the 12^th a lovely Luna Underwing was a nice surprise, and on the 19^th Red Line Quaker, Yellow Underwing and Shuttle Shaped Dart. These were all blown out the water though, at the end of the month the trap gave me some brand new species (White Point, Green Brindled Crescent & Rush Veneer), and the showstopper, potentially the first ever trapped at Rye Meads, a single Merveille du Jour.

Special Visitors & The Ringing Group

Matt was on leave for a week from the 12^th onwards – so of course the special visitors turned up. Three meadow pipits were seen from the Draper Hide, and then (HURRAH) a bittern high in the reeds from the far bank of the Gadwall Hide – yes I was the first to report it! There were regular sightings of the bittern from the 13^th to the 23^rd October, all at Gadwall. It went quiet for a while after that but as of today (the 29th) we're hearing reports that its still around!

The meadow pipits had been reported by the Ringing Group as early as the 12^th, alongside some water pipits just to confuse everyone totally! Both stayed put in the Draper area despite the scrub work ongoing around them, with the water pipits more visible and the meadow pipits often hiding further back. Both stuck around until late October but with the Draper needing to be filled with water for winter management they have moved around. Meadow pipits were caught by the Ringing Group on Saturday 29^th and are still being seen by them in the HMWT meadow from the Lapwing Hide.

That’s not all though, every few years there is an eruption of Bearded Tits and it looks like 2022 is the year. They were first spotted at the back of Draper on the 11^th, and have also been seen at Ashby and in the meadow on occasional days. They were also caught by the ringing group on the 29^th so we’re hopeful they will stick around!

Waterfowl

Strangely my return on the 6^th was the first time I’d seen Greylag Geese on the reserve. At the Gadwall Hide, numbers of Wigeon and Teal increased, as are Shoveler and Gadwall. All are coming into their fantastic plumages. I counted 260 coot on the 11^th and by the 19^th I counted 46 Shoveler, 40 Wigeon, 70 Gadwall which had relocated to the Gadwall Hide during the management works. Teal are the most regular report from visitors throughout October, which will probably continue as the water level rises at Draper.

Waders, Wagtails and Lapwings

Common Snipe have been visible at the Gadwall Hide as well as the Draper Hide, with the ringing group lucky enough to stumble upon a Jack Snipe out of view of the public. There was still a Common Sandpiper around on the 8^th but its all about the Green Sandpiper now with 6 moving between Draper and Gadwall. Grey and Pied Wagtail have showed well throughout the month and mostly didn’t seem to care about the digger re-sculpting the scrape at Draper, with Grey Wagtail being the most reported sighting of the month by visitors!

A highlight for me in the middle of the month was two Water Rail at the Ashby Hide. They’ve been reported six times this month, mostly at the Gadwall Hide but also at Ashby and Draper. Finally lapwing – not rare, but certainly an amazing number! I counted 118 on the 11^th, and we’ve had similar reports over the month and up to 150 on the 26^th.

Kingfishers

The warm weather might be accounting for some interesting Kingfisher activity with them seemingly clearing out holes in the bank and moving around as a pair down at the Kingfisher Hub. On the 20^th I was joined by a couple of friends from the Essex Birdwatching Society who visited for the first time, and they were treated to the female kingfisher at the Hub fishing from the closest sticks. Kingfishers are being reported from almost every hide still!

Other Sightings

We’re seeing a lot of photos of herons still although Little Egrets are moving away. In the trees there are plenty of Chiffchaffs, Wrens, Robins, Dunnocks, and flocks of Long Tailed Tits. We’ve had the usual birds of prey but its Sparrowhawk which has been reported most (9 times), followed by Buzzard, Kestrel, Red Kite, and two Peregrine sightings. Goldcrests were reported on consecutive days along the path, and Stonechats and Reed Buntings have benefitted from the scrub work churning up food!

And Finally…

The reserve has a Halloween feel to it, with the wonderfully named (or not) Dog Sick Slime Mould making an appearance alongside the Visitor Centre dipping pond. There’s also rumours of a few ghosts about….