They really are! All this warm sunny weather always helps to speed up the arrival of migrant birds and at the moment, they can’t get here quickly enough! Sand martins, house martins and swallows are streaming across the skies and the reed beds are filling up with reed and sedge warblers from Africa, to join the already resident Cetti’s warblers and bearded tits. Cetti’s warblers in particular are a bit easier to see at the moment. Don’t worry about going to look for them as they will find you! With their explosive loud call you cannot miss them. They are dark red-brown, whiter beneath with short wings but a full rounded tail. They liked it so much they stayed after breeding here in the UK for the first time in 1973. Cetti’s warbler, photo credit: Chris Gomersall.
Along the hedgerows the blackthorn flowers are just fading as the hawthorn begins to bloom. At this time of year its easy to tell these two hedgerow friends apart as the blackthorn flowers first then come into leaf and the hawthorn gets its leaf first and then comes into flower usually in time for May day and hence its other name, ‘May.’ Hawthorn in bloom, photo credit: Naomi Bailey
Marsh harriers are a regular feature of the sky line in Weymouth at the moment, with a fantastic 5 or 6 birds in residence and people have had spectacular views of them in flight, on the path up to the north hide, in fact if you are in the hide you may well miss the action! Harrier antic’s above Weymouth, photo credit: RSPB
Over on Lodmoor two avocet have also put in an appearance which is unusual for the time of year and we are keeping our fingers crossed for the bitterns!
Join in the Easter Fun!
Fri 18 & Sat 19 April Easter Fun Trail at Wild Weymouth Discovery Centre 10 am–3 pm
See if you can answer all the questions on our trail and win a chocolatey reward.
50p per child – no booking required. Info: 01305 778313.