Our task on Tuesday was improving the kingfisher bank. We aim to have vegetation on the top of the bank - and this will take time to establish. Meanwhile the reeds have clogged the water in front of our concrete bank.

First the reeds were cut then the thick rhizomes (stems which grow in the mud) had to be dug out. This also gives deeper water which will make the bank a more attractive place for nesting.

Volunteers…

This Thursday's volunteer task involved installing a barn owl box near the main lake. There was already an existing barn owl box in place, but by placing a second nearby we are hoping to encourage a female to nest in one and a male to roost in the other.

The first job was to dig a 3 ft deep hole for the telegraph pole we were using as a base.

Wardens Dean and Adam and residential volunteer Ally get to work digging…

Once again, there is excitement around the reedbeds as visitors desperately try to catch a glimpse of the Bearded Tits and Cetti's Warblers.  A Cetti's has taken up residence by the Wildlife Watchpoint Hide but the Bearded Tits keep everyone guessing by appearing in one place, disappearing for a few days and then appearing somewhere else on the reserve.  But still not on my grit tray.

The Soup and Starling events…

Reedbed birds continue to provide the possibility of excitement this week.  A singing Cetti's Warbler is a pleasant welcome in the mornings as I open the Wildlife Watchpoint Hide and a Bearded Tit has once again been seen in front of the Phil Stead Hide, but sadly not on my hastily erected grit tray.  Up to 3 Bitterns continue to fly around Haverton and Middle Tank.

It's always nice to see Brambling in winter and a…

The small and invisible birds have caused most of the excitement this week, with a Yellow-browed Warbler around the car park and up to 3 possible Cetti's Warbler calling and singing in the reeds around Bottom Tank and at Dormans's Pool.  Naturally, as these birds are invisible, I have no photographs to show you.

Large and only slightly more visible, are the Bitterns which fly from one clump of reed to another…

The sightings of passage waders are dwindling fast now although we still have up to 10 Black-tailed Godwits and 7 Ruff about.  The excitement now is over the incoming wintering birds such as the 660 Wigeon, 16 Pintail, 3 Goldeneye and 400 Golden Plover.  Up to 7 Whooper Swans have gone through along with 60 Redwing and 8 Fieldfare.  On Monday, we had our first Short-eared Owl of the year, and Elly did well to grab this photograph…

It's been a good week for Bittern watchers this week.  Bitterns have been seen every day at Haverton, as they fly from one area of reed to another.  There may be a couple of birds there.  Haverton Viewpoint is the place to be, but you'll either need to put some hours in, or be very lucky.

Bittern flying at Haverton, by Lockhart Horsburgh.

We still have our resident it seems, Smew and 3 Great White Egrets.  A few…

The terns have now gone back to Africa and the weeds have grown on the islands. Time to remove all the vegetation - lots of mayweed, redshank and hemlock.

As can be seen in the photo the hemlock has grown very tall having been fertilised by the roosting geese. However, the centre of the island was washed in the spring and new cockle shell laid so remained quite clear during the breeding season.

Adam, our new assistant…

If this Smew stays any longer, we'll have to give her a uniform and name badge.  Suggestions please..............

Even bringing the Tern rafts in on Tuesday only made her skip to the other side of the Main Lake.

                              'Our' Smew evading the work party, by Ian Forrest. 

The cold and hot all in the same day weather has meant we still have migrant waders on the reserve while the winter birds are arriving.  We now…

Over the summer the vegetation has grown and compromised the view from the hide. The sea club-rush and reeds need to be cut back at this time of year to give a clear view of the water but we have to leave enough to give cover for the birds.

With grass-hooks (sickles) and shears - and wellies and waders - we have cut vistas through the emergent vegetation to give clear views.

Assistant warden Dean with volunteers Ian…

Every month we undertake a WeBS count of the reserve land holdings.   WeBS stands for Wetland Bird Survey.  This is a useful way of seeing how birds are responding to seasons, the weather and of course, our management.  Sunday's count revealed quite a few winter birds coming back rather early.  We counted 237 Wigeon, 337 Teal and 7 Pintail.  We also now have 759 Lapwing on the wet grassland areas.  I was particularly lucky…

This week we found another 'first' for Saltholme; the Twin-spotted Wainscot (Archanara geminipuncta)  It was also only the fourth record in the county,  with two records from Washington Wetland Centre in 2008 and 2010 and one record of three adults coming from No. 6 Brinefield in August 2013.

The Twin-spotted wainscot larva exclusively eats common reed, the adult flies in August and September and is generally considered…

On Wednesday we took a trip to Paddy's Island with a volunteer party from Analox. We were clearing vegetation that has grown over the summer, so that the Common Terns can nest there again next year. While we were there we rescued several different species of caterpillar, but the biggest and most beautiful was this Elephant Hawkmoth (Deilephila elpenor) larva. We managed to get this photo of him sat on top of a tern…

Lovely autumn weather on Sunday and Mark, one of our guides, came into the Wildlife Garden with his camera. The garden was designed to attract all types of wildlife which includes butterflies and it works!

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A red admiral which is a common garden visitor,

A male common blue which is less common in gardens but common at Saltholme on the bird'd-foot trefoil,

And a painted lady on the Verbena bonariensis. 

Hedgehogs are not as common as they were but we do see quite a few at Saltholme.

Lockhart saw this little chap earlier this week and I have seen several over this week. They may be crossing the paths or just curled up in the grass next to a path - or even in the Discovery Zone.. 

Modern farming has not helped hedgehogs but modern housing is not hedgehog friendly either. A garden benefits from hedgehogs as they eat…

It takes us a couple of hours to get the reserve ready for visitors and during this time our Saltholme Guides - volunteers - are looking to see what is about.

At 0915 hrs today Brian took this photo of a Kingfisher on the post at Wildlife Watchpoint Hide which Dean had placed for just such a visit - thanks for the photo, Brian.

Now that the reserve is maturing these birds have more chance of catching a fish so are…

Breeding is over, many birds have lost their breeding plumage and will soon be moving on. Some are already passing through.

It only seems recently that we were looking at a ruff in breeding plumage rather than this plainer garb.

There are now flocks of dunlin and the coot are collecting in larger numbers. Lapwing will soon be forming large flocks, to be joined by golden plover.

This lapwing was taken by Lockhart…

And the prize for this weeks juiciest animal goes to...............

The Poplar Hawkmoth caterpillar feeding on the willows at the entrance to the Wildlife Watchpoint Hide.  The spike is on the rear end of the caterpillar and is meant to confuse birds into thinking it is a horn on the head.  A bird pecking at the rear end of the caterpillar will do less damage.  This juicy individual will carry on feeding, getting a little…

With just over a week left of the school holidays the team at Saltholme have been reflecting on what a fantastic summer we have had so far. We're on Minibeast week this week and the recent spell of damp weather followed by a brighter spell has meant that the invertebrates of Saltholme have been particularly obliging. plenty of creepy crawlies are being caught in our sweep nets and the grasshoppers are in full 'voice'…

On Friday Dean blogged about the waders and on Saturday Lockhart saw these black-tailed godwits flying in.

And spot the greenshank

There was also a common sandpiper.

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Since we cut the sedge and reed at the Phil Stead hide there are some very good views.

Elsewhere there are lots of common blue butterflies looking for the common bird's-foot trefoil on which to lay their eggs.

This is a female - not as blue…

The birds of the moment are the 5 juvenile Garganey (2 broods) that can be seen on Bottom Tank and Wildlife Watchpoint, and the female Smew that is hanging around on the Allotment Pool.

The female Smew by Ian Forrest.

The abundant mud is still bringing in the waders with over 300 Dunlin currently on Dorman's Pool.   We've also got 60 Dunlin at Saltholme Hide, with up to 3 Greenshank, 7 Ruff, 14 Black-tailed Godwits…

There is still a lot of activity with the common terns, with many adults flying with fish in their beaks to feed their young.

The little egrets are busy feeding themselves, and Lockhart caught this one at Wildlife Watchpoint hide yesterday.

A nice, tasty stickleback.

But rodents also have to keep a careful lookout - even read the signs?

These telegraph poles are a good place to see a kestrel looking for a meal…

This year the poor weather has hit Dragonflies particularly badly.  Because spring weather is so erratic, spring Dragonflies such as Four-spotted Chasers, tend to synchronise their emergence to maximise the chance of finding a mate.  However, this year, Four-spotted Chasers were very few.  In fact, I have only seen one on the reserve.  Could it be that the Dragonflies perished as they tried to emerge ?

Yesterday, we found…

in the Mouse House

I think the parents are away !

It's that time of year again when waders that have failed to breed in the Tundra regions start to return, looking for wet mud to stick their long bills into for midge larvae and other wriggly delights. These waders are still in their breeding plumage and look their very best.  However, this year the dry and windy weather here at Saltholme has meant there is more than the usual amount of wet mud edge for them.  This week…