Meadow trail is now open. All paths are in good condition, but the meadows can be quite soggy so wellies are recommended.
There have been several sightings of a ringtail Montagu’s harrier at Buckenham and Strumpshaw, the most recent of which was on Monday the 13th. We have also continued to have excellent views of our marsh harriers from all three hides.
Sightings of hobbies and cuckoos have come in from all over the reserve, and lesser whitethroat and garden warbler have been spotted on the riverbank leading up to tower hide. A male and female garganey have been frequenting the broad in front of the hide itself.
Since our last post, swifts have finally arrived in good numbers. They can regularly be seen hawking insects from all three hides, but one of the best places to see them up close is the path leading from Buckenham car park to Buckenham hide.
Buckenham continues to have plenty of lapwing and redshank; two wood sandpipers and a greenshank were also spotted there last week, and a pair of peregrine falcons have been seen over Cantley. A very fluffy Egyptian goose gosling can also be seen hurrying after its parents on the fields near the hide.
Earlier in the month there were a couple of sightings of grass snake mating balls, where a large number of males congregate around one or two females in a writhing mass as they all attempt to uncoil a female in order to mate with her.
Strumpshaw’s first azure damselfly of the year was spotted yesterday (the 14th). Large red damselflies have also been emerging over the last two weeks; one of the most reliable places to see them is on the sandy wall path and on the approach to the main meadow trail gate. We are also getting sporadic sightings of hairy dragonflies on warm sunny days. Holly blues and speckled woods have been added to the list of butterflies currently on the wing, but we are all still awaiting the first swallowtail sighting of the year.