Whats About?

There are lots of wildfowl about at the moment, including: tufted duck, gadwall, mallard, shelduck, shoveler, pochard, and teal.

Cuckoo by Mike Langman (rspb-images.com)

A cuckoo was seen and heard for the first time this year on Sunday (18 April). The little egret is still exploring the wet meadow seen from the Lapwing hide. Sedge warblers are now being heard singing loudly down the main path - any time at all they'll be heard all over the reserve. A willow warbler was first heard on 15 April, and a white throat on the same day.

Six sandmartins were seen flying over on 15 April, keep your eyes to the skies when you visit, you never know what you will see! If you do look upwards you may spot a buzzard flying over (one was seen on 15 April) as well as the sparrowhawks and kestrels.

Talking of kestrels... well we think that there are two pairs this year. Our usual pair are nesting in the nest box that can be seen from the Kingfisher Hide. If you visit the Kingfisher Hide, look on the pylon for the two boxes. These are the kestrel boxes, the top one is one that has been there for 21 years! A couple of years ago we thought that a new one was needed so when the electricity company came to check the pylon we asked if they could put a new one up. They added a nice new shiny box (the lower of the two) and the kestrels haven't ever used it! They like their favourite old one! The new one tends to be used by stock doves.

The second pair we think are nesting in one of the barn owl boxes seen from the Draper Hide (the triangular boxes on stilts), and they use the kestrel box on the pylon in the car park to roost. We aren't sure of this so don't quote me!

As I was writing this visitors came back from a walk and told me that an oystercatcher and lapwing were showing really well from the Draper Hide! I'm off to the Draper Hide now to have a look!