August is flying by, and with that here is a roundup of what has been seen at Titchwell this month.
Car park, visitor centre & woodland
Green woodpeckers have been noticeable in their presence this month, as have great spotted woodpeckers, often moving between willow wood and the visitor centre.
A pied flycatcher was briefly present around the visitor centre on the 5 August and on the tank road on the 9 August, throughout the month there have been varying numbers of willow warblers, chiff chaffs and blackcaps amongst the woodland vegetation.
A spotted flycatcher was in the car park on the 24 August and a bee-eater was heard flying over the reserve on the 23 August and a raven flew through on the same day.
Juvenile green woodpecker, Cliff Gilbert
Reedbed & East Trail
Up to 4 great white egrets can be found within the reedbed on an almost daily basis and in recent weeks bittern sightings have picked up again once more.
As often happens at this time of year the little egret roost is beginning to build, with a count of 34 individuals this week.
Two cattle egrets dropped into the reedbed on the 25/8 and were also seen earlier in the week.
Sedge warblers and reed warblers continue to be fairly active within the reedbed. For the lucky ones, good views of bearded tits are possible along the west bank path and autumn trail.
On Patsy’s reedbed there is a large gathering of teal, gadwall, pochard and coot which has had a female garganey with them since the 15 August.
A few marsh harriers have begun to return to the reserve as we draw to the end of the month.
An osprey flew west over the reserve on the 21 August and on the 24 August a juvenile turtle dove flew over the east trail towards the saltmarsh on the eastern side of the reserve.
The scrub around the tank road has included willow warblers, lesser whitethroats, chiff chaffs, blackcaps and garden warbler.
Cattle egret, Phill Gwilliam
Freshmarsh
Throughout the month waders have continued to pass through the reserve. Specifically, on the Freshmarsh, counts have included 142 avocet, 280 black-tailed godwits, 60+ redshank, 30+ ruff, 4 spotted redshanks, 34 common sandpipers, a wood sandpiper, and greenshank. A little stint was briefly present on the 20/8.
This week golden plover numbers have begun to increase which can bring in other waders, this included a flyover dotterel on the 24/8. Other waders seen daily have included dunlin, turnstone, bar-tailed godwits, whimbrel, curlew, oystercatchers, lapwing, ringed plover.
Spoonbills, great white egrets and grey herons have also been making an appearance on the Freshmarsh.
Wildfowl numbers of teal, gadwall and shoveler are increasing as we progress through the month. A brent goose appeared on the 15 August, an unusual encounter for this time of the year.
The evening gull roost has included Caspian gull and yellow-legged gulls and Mediterranean gulls.
Dotterel, Cliff Gilbert
Volunteer & Tidal Marsh
At the start of the month the water levels were very low on tidal marsh, because of the low tides, lack of rain and the heat. However, the spring high tide in the middle of the month has topped up the water levels considerably.
This has reduced the amount of wader roosting habitat, however there are frequently flocks of oystercatchers and turnstones on there, along with small numbers of redshanks, grey plover, and dunlin.
Amongst the vegetation and the channels at low tide, the volunteer marsh is hosting curlew, redshanks, lapwing and whimbrel.
Beach & Sea
On the 17 August, the winds shifted to the north slightly, allowing for a spot of sea-watching which included sightings of great skua, kittiwakes and sooty shearwater. Other birds on the sea this month, have included fulmar, gannets, eider and red-throated diver.
On the beach there is an assemblage of waders including bar-tailed godwits, sanderling, oystercatchers, turnstones and curlews. A small tern roost is occurring towards Thornham point including common terns, sandwich terns and little terns.
Great skua, Cliff Gilbert
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