Welcome to the latest summary of what has been around Titchwell in the past week.
Car Park / Visitor Centre
A garden warbler has been heard singing around the back of the car park over the weekend. On Monday 24/5 two spotted flycatchers were chasing each other around the tops of the trees.
Spotted Flycatcher, Les Bunyan
Turtle doves have occasionally been seen on the reserve, but they are not spending much time here, currently.
Whilst enjoying a hot drink on the picnic tables the odd Mediterranean gull can be watched circling overhead and today a grey wagtail was seen on the visitor centre roof.
Reedbed / Patsy’s / East Trail
Within the reedbed the bittern continues to boom regularly. The marsh harrier’s activity has increased with food passes being observed. When the wind does drop the bearded tits can be heard pinging amongst the reeds.
Hundreds of swifts with house martins and swallows scattered amongst them, have been swirling over the reedbed catching flies, darting low between people’s heads. On Thursday 20 May two lucky observers watched an Alpine swift flash through the reserve and to make it even better for the reserve a red-rumped swallow was sighted in the evening briefly.
On Patsy’s up to two male red-crested pochards have been seen but they are not seen very often. Also using this area are the usual suspects including pochard, gadwall and the mute swan family.
A cuckoo can be heard regularly in the dead trees and flying over the reedbed in search of a partner.
A whinchat was on the edge of the reedbed on the 24/5.
Whinchat, Les Bunyan
Freshmarsh
The Freshmarsh remains unusually quiet for this time of year, a small number of avocets are present. There are also a couple of little ringed plovers, dunlin, turnstone and redshanks dropping in. Little terns, common terns and sandwich terns can also be observed on here along with the odd yellow wagtail.
An evening surprise on the 17th May was a dark phased Arctic skua that spent around 15 minutes on there.
Avocet, Les Bunyan
Volunteer / Tidal Marsh
Gorgeous summer plumage grey plovers can be watched feeding along the creeks especially when the tide is out. Also, on here are curlews and redshanks.
Little terns and common terns have been seen frequently on here catching fish. This has also been a good area to watch the odd spoonbill flyover and drop in for a feed.
Beach / Sea
If the birds were anything to go by this weekend, then it felt more like the winter with an Iceland gull and purple sandpiper on the beach. Also, on the beach are sanderling and dunlin. Whilst on the sea fulmars drift by frequently.
Fulmar, Les Bunyan
With ringed plovers nesting on the beach, this is another reminder to walk on the lower section of the beach and keep away from the cordons. We have several incidents this week of photographers in particular preventing birds returning to their nests.