All paths are in good condition.
The common terns are back- we’re getting regular sightings from all hides. Cuckoos have also been spotted, and have been heard every day. A male and female wheatear were seen on Lackford run on the 26th, and tower hide had another red kite sighting on the 25th.
Swifts have finally joined the swallows, house martins and sand martins. Our first report came on Saturday 20th, and we’ve since been getting low but steady records of them from all over the reserve.
A single booming bittern can be heard from tower and reception hide.
A great spotted woodpecker has taken to frequenting the bird feeders in the early evening.
We are continuing to have regular reports of kingfishers from fen hide and reception hide. On the morning of the 25th one was spotted fishing just a few metres from reception, intermittently using the water gauge as a perch.
The recent warm weather has given us regular sightings of grass snake and common lizard. One of the best places to look for the former is on top of reed piles where they tend to bask in the sunshine, whereas the boardwalk is the most reliable viewing spot for the latter.
A few new butterflies are out, including commas, green-veined whites and orange tips, in addition to the plentiful peacocks, brimstones and small tortoiseshells.
Buckenham saw a good number of passage migrants on the 25th, including a whimbrel, wood sandpiper, little ringed plover, ringed plover and three yellow wagtails.
Finally, some black-headed gulls can currently be seen gathering nesting material outside reception. Judging by the amount of noise they’ve been making this should be called ‘recent hearings’ instead of sightings- but they can be tremendously entertaining, especially their never ending battles with the coots.