Fledged sand martin & more kingfishers
Late August is a time of transition around the wetland reserve. Summery species like red admiral butterflies, holly blues and brown hawker dragonflies are easily seen. Meadows are still showing colour from light pink hemp agrimony, purple loosestrife and yellow fleabane mixed in with drying heads of teasel and brown stalks of finished flowers.
The sand martin chick has now fledged from the Sand Martin hide and we are seeing martins and swallows trickling through the reserve on their long journey southwards. The beginnings of this migration and the increase in kingfisher sightings both signal that summer is coming to an end.
Try taking a Wetland Discovery Boat Safaris if you are trying to see a kingfisher. The clear waters also make it easy to see the fish: small roach near the water surface and the larger pike deeper down. Visitor Rachel Calver also spotted a demoiselle during her boat trip last week and sent us great photo. A green woodpecker was seen on one of the islands last Saturday. Look out for the peregrines and buzzards on the Offham Hangar when you’re aboard the boats, too.
From the Ramsar hide little egrets and grey herons are showing regularly along with some gadwall , tufted and mandarin ducks. A kingfisher was also spotted there last Saturday by Guide-in-the-Hide Peter during his shift. At the Woodland Loop great and blue tits, chaffinch, goldfinches, dunnock and blackbirds. Were recorded, especially at the feeders.
Sightings from the Scrape hide include a Cetti’s warbler, a widgeon and gadwall. Reed warblers are still visible in the reedbeds.
