Hello All
Sorry it has been over a week since my last update.
With the islands now exposed from the gadwll hide, and the scrape looking good from the Draper hide we are all ready for the continued autumn migration. On a quick walk this afternoon i picked up 90 lapwing, 2 egyptian geese, 2 wigeon, 45 shoveler, 94 gadwall, water rail, 29 teal, and 4 garganey. Hirundine (house and sand martin and swallow) flocks are continually moving through site and we are still getting the odd swift in amongst them, just the 1 today but 2 earlier in the week. We are also getting great views of mixed tit and warbler flocks as they move through the scrub next to the paths (especially from water vole corner to Ashby hide) with long tailed tit and chiff chaff dominant but also blue tit, great tit, sedge warbler, garden warbler, willow warbler and blackcap.
A wheatear stopped off for the morning on the Draper 21 August.
Cettis warbler continue to call today, 3 stock dove showing well at draper and bullfinch along the trail. With not too much sunshine today I still caught up with red admiral, comma (lovely bright fresh specimen) and common darter, all sitting close at hand. The water voles continue to show well on the platform, but can be found all round the site. So nice to have them doing so well.
Last weekend 2 young kingfishers from the third brood were again showing from tern and gadwall hides, while the pair continue with the job of incubating the fourth brood at the kingfisher hide. We are hoping for hatching around 7-10 September, and then another 24-25 days before fledging, so fingers crossed.
On Thursday we bought the rafts into shore. My were they a mess, smelly and full of vegetation so they need a good clean ready for next year! We have also moved the CCTV camera that looks over lagoon 1 (gadwall hide) you may have seen it off to the right of the hide. This now offers better views of the islands currently exposed, but also of the island where the black-necked grebes nested in preparation for their return (everything crossed) next year, to help us protect the nest from disturbance and egg collectors as well as monitor the birds.
I think that is the highlights from the last week or so.
Thanks
Vicky
Great blog Vicky - had a lovely couple of hours today - could I make a small request could the blue writing be removed form the platform the apples are placed on for the water voles - not sure what it says. thank you