Hello All
Well the volunteer work parties are still busy working away on the new Kingfisher bank at the Draper hide and the nesting area should be completed next week.
Yesterday we took a break for the kingfisher bank to position 7 of the old style tern rafts on lagoon 2 (tern hide) in a block. This is a continuation of the work we have been carrying out for the last few seasons to try and reach a balance between nesting Common Terns and Black Headed Gulls.
We have found that the Black Headed Gulls like to nest up against objects such as fences, chick shelters or numbered stones whereas the Terns prefer the more open areas. Last year we designed and constructed a new raft that was larger and more open to benefit the Terns and lower in the water and designed to look more natural from a visitor point of view. This was positioned on the lagoon at the same time as a block of four of the old style rafts were positioned representing the same surface area.
Rafts positioned for summer 2013 with the new style raft on the back right and block of rafts on back left and loafing rafts in the forground.
The Common Terns are not due back until around the second week in April although in recent years this has been getting later and later. In the mean time the much earlier nesting Black Headed Gulls should start getting down to business soon, i have already seen a pair displaying on the rafts today.
The contractors have finished re-landscaping the Draper scrape, so we are hoping to see some migrant waders taking advantage of this area over the coming months. So an area to keep an eye on.
Sightings wise the Kingfishers are still showing well at the Kingfisher Hide nesting bank sitting in the elder to the left of the bank, preening and investigating the holes, although their preferred one still seems to be the middle row left hand hole. It should not be long now before they start egg laying. Buzzards have also been putting in a good show this week with 2-4 regularly seen circling over the reserve and calling a great mewing call, one of my favourites.
The reserve is definatly in spring mode with pussy willow and black thorn in bloom and a number of species such as Song Thrush, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Cettis Warbler, Great tit and Reed Bunting setting up territories. We are just awaiting the return of the early migrants such as Sand martins or may be a passing Wheatear. So it is a great time to come out and have a look around Rye Meads while enjoying this spring sunshine.
We hope to see you soon.
Thanks
Vicky