I spent a few hours this afternoon in the Visitor Centre, which gives great views over the new heath. Buzzards were up in the air regularly, and seemed on various occasions to be carrying food into the large fir trees. A willow warbler and garden warbler gave sporadic bursts of song and I realised as we head into July that we sadly won't be enjoying these songs for very much longer, as the birds start to quieten down after the breeding season.
Several butterflies were darting about the path edges, with a possible gatekeeper amongst them, and lots of bees were finding the same area to their liking. A few marbled white butterflies have been about again this week.
I feel it is a better year for song thrushes. I've seen a lot more than in recent years, and we've had two young birds in our garden in Little Paxton- which is brilliant news. The same applies to starlings and swifts. A group of over 20 swifts were skimming over the garden last night- normally we only see three or four, and starlings are flocking in very large numbers - I'd estimate over 2000, before dropping down into the nearby reeds at Hayling Lake on Paxton Pits.
Back to The Lodge and the hobbies have been generally quiet, which is probably a good sign at this stage, as have the spotted flycatchers, although we are extremely happy as they are nesting on the reserve again.
I'm off to Suffolk for the weekend and tomorrow will be a trip around Minsmere, and then in the evening on the heaths looking for nightjars.
Have a great weekend yourself,
Mark
Song thrush Chris Gomersall (rspb-images.com)