Booming bittern in London
With an unusually mild October it's been difficult to discern when the seasons actually changed, but with the arrival of one of our avian highlights, the bittern, we finally feel like it really is autumn. The first two bitterns arrived at their usual time - a couple of weeks ago - and have made a few appearances while they settle into the reedbeds around the main lake and sheltered lagoon. This morning a bittern even boomed as it landed in the reeds - perhaps it too has been confused by the mild weather.
Water rail sightings have also increased: the numbers of these birds are boosted by individuals migrating from northern Europe. Flocks of wintering duck have settled on the reserve with shoveler, gadwall, wigeon and teal all on the increase.
The hedges and scrub habitats still hold a few warblers and tit flocks, particularly those spots that are warmed by the early morning sunshine. We've seen a variety of finches too: - siskin, lesser redpoll, mealy redpoll, and even bullfinch. We've also had good numbers of migrating chaffinches.
The first redwings and fieldfares have arrived, much later than usual probably due to the warmer conditions in their summer breeding grounds in Scandinavia during September and early October. We still have plenty of berries on site to feed these hungry thrushes. The grazing marsh has attracted rock pipit, meadow pipit, jack snipe and stonechat.
Amazingly, bats are still around, with a small number of pipistrelles spotted just as we were closing for the night on Halloween! The last bat survey of the year revealed good numbers of Soprano, Nathusius' and Common Pipistrelles, several Daubenton's Bats feeding on the wader scrape and a Leisler's Bat near the centre.
