Eyes to the skies for this week’s sightings round up.
Reedbed & East Trail
In the reedbed a minimum of three great white egrets continues to be present, some are displaying the yellow bill which is their non-breeding plumage whilst at least one has the black bill and reddish tibia, which arises during courtship.
Some of our visitors have seen and / or heard the boom of the bittern. It is booming very softly making it a challenge to hear. Easier to see are the little egrets which are using the reedbed more than in previous years but are also seen on the saltmarsh and across much of the reserve.
Marsh harriers are becoming more active as they are likely to be feeding youngsters in the nest. Some do have a habit of cruising along the eastern edge of the Freshmarsh sending the avocets into havoc.
Two hobby’s are a welcome return to the reserve in recent weeks, the best place to see them has been towards the end of the east trail as they like to perch on the dead trees.
Also, along the east trail there are whitethroats, lesser whitethroats and a grasshopper warbler continues to be heard reeling.
The reed warblers and sedge warblers are becoming more obvious as their first broods begin to fledge.
Cuckoo, Les Bunyan
Freshmarsh
During this week’s avocet survey 77 birds were counted on nests and a further 20 broods which is an astonishing number of breeding avocets for Titchwell.
Breeding black-headed gulls continue to increase with 77 nests counted, although this is still a significant reduction on previous years.
Also breeding on the Freshmarsh are common terns and oystercatchers. A pair of ringed plovers and little ringed plovers are also showing signs that they want to nest but we haven’t observed any actually sitting on eggs yet.
Since 22 May 5 little gulls have been present on the Freshmarsh and catching flies over the reedbed. The odd little tern and sandwich tern have landed on the Freshmarsh most days along with a couple of Mediterranean gulls, common gulls and herring gulls.
Waders remain quite scarce this spring though 200 black-tailed godwits spent the weekend feeding on the Freshmarsh. Other waders observed in recent days include turnstone, dunlin, ruff, redshanks, and common sandpiper.
On 24 May there was a noticeable increase in swift, swallows, house martins and sand martins feeding over the reserve.
Eyes to the skies! A glossy ibis flew over the reserve on 24 May during the day and returned to roost on the Freshmarsh but shortly departed on the morning of the 25 May. Two cranes flew west over the Freshmarsh on the 25 May.
Black headed gulls, Phill Gwilliam
Volunteer & Tidal Marsh
Volunteer marsh and tidal marsh can be quiet at this time of the year but we do have oystercatchers, ringed plovers and meadow pipits breeding on the tidal marsh.
A scan along the creeks of the volunteer marsh and you may see oystercatcher, turnstones, ringed plover, curlew, grey plover and redshank
This area is also a good location to look for spoonbill that may be feeding on tidal marsh or on the saltmarsh. Also on the saltmarsh are stonechats, skylarks and linnets.
Redshank, Les Bunyan
Beach & Sea
On the beach there are a few arctic waders passing through providing the opportunity to admire the sanderlings in their breeding plumage. Other wades include bar-tailed godwits, oystercatchers and ringed plovers.
On the sea the highlight has been 2 black terns heading west on the 24 May, other species sighted include little tern, sandwich tern, common scoter, gannet and great crested grebe.
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