A week of spring sunshine, with some interspersed cloud. Enough warmth in the sun to bring out some insects.
The highlight of the week was the penduline tit, after two months it finally gave itself up for the morning on Thursday being faithful to the area just beyond the first sluice. It was particularly good for me having been here six years and finding two of these birds by call it was great to finally see and photograph one! The penduline tit was still present in the mist on Friday morning, however it was much more illusive. Other highlights included two great white egrets flying over the reserve on Tuesday morning, a common crane on Tuesday and Thursday as well as a flyover osprey on Friday.
The migrants are starting to trickle in at the moment with chiffchaffs in song all over the reserve, the first five blackcaps are also singing in the woodland and along the riverbank, while the first sedge warbler of the year has begun to sing near the sluice. On Wednesday morning house martin, sand martin and swallow were all seen from Tower Hide.
Resident birds such as cetti’s warblers have become far more showy over the past week, indeed the next two weeks are the best time of the year to actually see these illusive, loud warblers. Kingfishers have been seen throughout the reserve, busy courting and nest building as are bearded tits.
Bitterns have started booming, best heard from along the riverbank or Tower Hide. Marsh harriers are displaying well all over the reserve, it looks like we may have another good season if all birds nest here. There are some very impressive looking grey and black males out there at the moment, they get greyer with age too.
The woodland is alive with song in the morning, with all usual species showing well, including goldcrest, treecreeper, marsh tit, blackcap, chiffchaff and song thrush.
The warmth of the sun has produced the first good numbers of butterflies with brimstone, peacock and comma all seen along with the tawny mining bees and plenty of hoverflies now out. Otters have been seen last weekend but not reported since, while Chinese water deer have been seen daily.
All trails open and the conditions are improving, stout footwear is recommended for the riverbank and lackford run, particularly after rain. The woodland loop including the pumphouse track and newly built riverbank to sandy wall is in good condition.
In the next week I would expect that the first willow warblers will return, sedge warblers will be increasing in number as will all other warblers as well as the swallows and martins. It looks like we have some southerly winds originating from southern France so we should see quite an increase in migrants and maybe a bit more warmth in the air too.