Cuckoo activity.
Last week there was a sighting from the wetlands discovery boat safari of a female Cuckoo leaving the reeds with an egg in her beak. This was the brief moment when a cuckoo female lays her egg in the host nest (in this case a Reed warbler) and removes one of the host eggs. Hopefully we shall see some juvenile cuckoos on the reserve in a month or so, as the youngster out grows the warbler nest. This morning a Cuckoo male was calling to the rear of our lost reedbed area, still hopeful of mating with a female. Sightings of this species have been unusually low this year in and around the reserve, so it is hoped that this year will produce youngsters that will be successful in migrating to and from Africa. The thought of not hearing this species in spring and early summer is unbearable.
The wild flowers are really coming into the start of their peak season now. Four Bee orchids were spotted near the Waterfall exhibit and Common spotted and Southern Marsh orchids are just about still flowering in the meadow maze.
More dragonflies are taking to the wing during the warmer periods, including Emperor, Black tailed Skimmer, Four spotted chaser, Broad bodied chaser, Beautiful and Banded demoiselle as well as several species of Damselfly.
