Birdlife
With the wind switching around to the North East and cloud cover forecasted for Sunday there was an expectation that there would be an arrival of birds to Titchwell. Whilst waders have been migrating back from their breeding grounds since June, August sees the start of autumn migration for passerines.
Sure enough on Friday morning there was a noticeable arrival of willow warblers and an increase in blackcaps, lesser whitethroats and chiffchaffs to Titchwell. Around the visitor centre on Friday morning was a nuthatch, a relatively scarce bird for the reserve.
The egret roost is beginning to build with three great white egrets continuing to roost on site and popping up across the reedbed and 60 little egrets were recorded across the reserve on Saturday. Spoonbills continue to be seen sleeping on the Freshmarsh with up to 15 being counted. For those of you in search of Bitterns, one lucky visitor had a glimpse of one today (Monday)
Freshmarsh has experienced a steady increase and turnover of waders this weekend as many drop into feed, drink and roost. Little stints began to arrive on Friday with a max count of 8 on Sunday, though that shortly became 7 when a hobby decided to have one for lunch. Common sandpipers and green sandpipers can be heard flying over and dropping in. On Sunday a of 7 common sandpipers dropped in. Other wader highlights have included 2 wood sandpipers, 138 golden plovers, 30+ ruff, 6 little ringed plovers, 30 dunlin, 320 avocet, spotted redshank and greenshank. Also lurking on Freshmarsh was 4 wigeon.
Little stint, Lizzie Bruce
Down on the beach about 100 sanderling and dunlin are feeding along the waters edge and as the tide drops bar-tailed godwits and oystercatchers feed on the mussel beds. In other exciting news another brood of ringed plovers hatched with four chicks so please do watch where you walk on the beach.
On the sea, 15 gannets and 2 common scoter and a few great crested grebes can be seen amongst the common, little and sandwich terns.
With the north easterly winds continuing on Monday and birds arriving all along the east coast, a couple of our volunteers headed to Thornham point where the bushes can be productive for migrant passerines. They weren’t disappointed. In the morning two pied flycatchers and a whinchat were found and then this evening as I am writing this blog a red-backed shrike was found. This is a great record as they aren’t annual visitors to the reserve area.
Red-backed shrike, Matt Lonsdale
Mammal highlights
This weekend a couple of our regulars were treated to a female water vole moving her kits from one side of fen hide water body to the other side. Other visitors have been treated to Chinese water deer wading around the Freshmarsh
Dragonflies
Red eyed damselflies are now out and can be seen at Fen hide or anywhere around the meadow trail. Other dragonfly highlights include emerald damselfly, common darter and emperor dragonfly.
That’s about it for this weekends sightings round up.
Do let us know what you have seen when you are visiting Titchwell.
Thanks
Lizzie Bruce
North West Norfolk Reserves Warden