Hi All
Migrants continue to pass through site with a whimbrel on Draper 24 April (in 2014 we had a whimbrel stop off on the day of our first Fun Day 21 April so only a few days late this year), 2 whinchats on the meadow 25 and 26 April and 1 female on 27 April, again the Draper gave us dunlin, 4 little ringed plover and 2 redshank on 26 April with a cuckoo reported on the same day, common sandpiper and little ringed plover reported on 28, 30 April and 6 May and pair redshank remain in residence. A lovely summer plumage dunlin spent 13 May on the Draper with little ringed plover on 14 and 15 May. Up to 9 hobby were recorded on 13 May. After a year with no sightings it was nice to have some reports of turtle dove however brief, with a fly over on 26 April along with a sighting of a bird on the sewage works site from the same day by on of the RMRG.
Damselflies and dragonflies are starting to emerge with large red damselfly, and a female azure damselfly on 8 May, a female broad-bodied chaser and four-spot chaser on 11 May and a hairy dragonfly on 10 May. I had my first painted lady of the year (and last year) on 12 May and a better quantity of moths in the trap on the 13 May with 13 species including poplar hawk, common wave, bright line brown eye and flame shoulder.
The herb garden became home to a family of rabbits with at least 2 babies and mum having a nose round when it was quiet until (we think) a fox discovered them and dug its way in to the warren. However this does mean that the new herbs i planted have a bit more change of survival as they are not getting quite as nibbled, but it does mean no more cute baby rabbits.
Our annual dawn chorus event on International Dawn Chorus Day 3 May was looked toward with a bit of trepidation as the forecast was for heavy rain. However we persevered and all participants braved the early morning and weather which was pretty wet and we were able to hear a lovely dawn chorus, even if the rising of the sun only led to a lightening of the murk. We managed some good sightings including 7 species warbler, bullfinch, green woodpecker, cukoo and common tern. Just before heading back to the visitor center for a breakfast of croissants, bagels, crumpets and brioche we stopped off in the Draper hide to have a look at any waders that may have been about and were rewarded with 8 black tern an amazing sighting! They were quite flighty coming in to land only to be spooked and circle again, sadly they did not hang around for long and headed off. We then had a look round the rest of the Draper scrape and came up with 2 greenshank and were able to add a fly over yellow wagtail after that. So all in all worth the 4.30 start and a bit of rain.
Tom Spellers lovely shot of the 8 Black Terns
Exciting news on the Kingfisher front as well! Our pair seem to have sorted themselves out and are incubating again! (Hurrah). With the very unusual behavior and false start in April we we wanted to be sure before announcing the new this time. But we have had a solid week of changeovers so we are convinced that incubation is under way, however we are unsure on the exact start date. So with a 19 - 21 day incubation we are looking for hatching around the end of the month (27-29) but it could be as early as weekend of 23 May. So fingers crossed.
Thanks
Vicky