Yesterday we still had a nagging NE wind and very few signs of mirgation. Today the wind has swung around the south-west and the birds have responded.
While Richard, one of our volunteers, was leading today's guided walk he was lucky enough to see two small waders drop onto one of the fresh marsh islands in front of the group. Once he found them, he realised that they were Temmincks' stints. Temminck's stint is annual visitor to the reserve in very small numbers (usually 1 or 2 per year) and are normally seen sculking around the edges of the islands like an avian mouse. They are often found feeding on there own and are unusual is that they have pale legs rather than black as many of the small wader species have. The leg colour, in combination with the mottled breast and greeny/brown upperparts, make them them a distinct. Many of the Temmincks stints that turn up in eastern Britain are heading for their breeding grounds in Scandinavia and have taken a wrong turn. Also on the fresh marsh this afternoon was a cracking summer plumaged curlew sandpiper, a wood sandpiper and 3 common sandpipers. Around the Meadow Trail were two singing garden warblers and a spotted flycatcher.
The main news from the last couple of days concerns our bitterns. After a five hour reedbed watch we were able to confirm that they are feeding young. The female, who is the only bird that feeds the young, was seen flying back and forth from the grazing meadow to the main reedbed. This means that she sometimes gives fnatastic views flying over the main path at head height.
If you want a chance of catching up with any of these then join us this weekend for our Wings over Titchwell event.