Hello All
Just a bit of notice that there are some gas pipe works being carried out up Rye Road for the next month or so which means there are lots of holes dotted up and down the road causing single traffic in places and footpath diversions. So if you are visiting Rye Meads please be aware that this work is going ahead and may affect acess but there are no plans to close the road.
There has been plenty more spring action this last week. With our first Grasshopper warbler reeling and 2 Sedge warbler singing at the warbler hide on saturday 5th April recorded by Toby from the Rye Meads Ringing Group (RMRG). A pair of Garganey turned up on 8 April from the Gadwall hide, proving elusive since then as they have taken to hiding behind a clump of reed to the right of the hide but have been seen by the lucky few each day. Also on wednesday 3 Little Ringed Plover and 2 Redshank were reported from the Draper. Two Little Egret were very visible on the meadow on 8th and 4 Buzzard have been seen territiry defending over the visitor centre. The Kestrel continue mating on the box on the pylon at the kingfisher hide, so we are waiting for incubation to start with them. I had 2 Willow Warbler calling on site today one by the cottages and the other between the lagoon hides, and my first Sedge warbler was singing from the reed strip up the side of lagoon 2.
With the hawthorns and sallows coming in to leaf it is getting harder to catch up with the originator of the loud burst of song.... the Cettis warbler. Early spring is the easiest time to catch a sighiting of this elusive species that normaly lurks in the dense undergrowth but while foliage is sparse you can get some smashing views of this russet brown warbler. Teal are still hanging on on site with 8 on tuesday and 3 male pheasant were fighting around the visitor centre today.
I had my first speckeld wood of the year on 8 April, and other butterflies are putting in a good show with loads of peacokcs around today especially but also orange tip, brimstone, small tortoisshell, and green veined white. Water vole are aslso starting to show more and there is defiante sign on the toll stream, as they have been eating the apple provided on the feeding platform.
Bird sightings this week :- canada goose, little grebe, grey heron, little egret, cormorant, shelduck, mute swan, gadwall, pochard, tufted duck, shoveler, mallard, teal, coot, morhen, lapwing, snipe, oystercatcher, redshank, little ringed plover, pied wagtail, kingfisher, black headed gull, herring gull, lesser black back gull, kestrel, buzzard, great spotted woodpecker, chiff chaff, blackcap, willow warbler, sedge warbler, robin, wren, dunnock, great tit, blue tit, long tailed tit, chaffinch, green finch, gold finch, black bird, songthrush, reed bunting, stock dove, woodpigeon, collard dove, jay, jackdaw, carrion crow, pheasant,
I hope to see you all at our Easter Fun Day on Monday 21 April
Thanks
Vicky