Read the latest goings on from our wildlife reserve
Reserve manager John Gowland said: "The theme of this report has very much been guided by the easterly winds, which have been bringing cold weather to our shores.
Last year’s March reserve report was all about the mini heat wave and the early arrival of the avocets, as well as the many chiffchaffs and the first swallow on site. So far this year however, I have only heard one chiffchaff and am yet to spot a swallow.
The grey heron colony is having a tough time this season too. All seemed to be going well at the heronry during February, but the recent bad weather has hampered some of the nesting herons. Some birds have even abandoned their nests altogether as the cold snap continues. We are hopeful that once the weather starts warming up, some of the abandoned nests will soon be occupied again and the herons can resume starting their families.
The avocets arrived a little later than in 2012 but that was no surprise as the weather has been very cold so far this spring. On the morning of 16March, the first pair of avocet was noted on Wader Lake and they were shortly joined by the first black tailed godwit of the season. Numbers have steadily increased in the last two weeks, with between seven and 11 birds regularly noted on Wader Lake.
As for the other flora and fauna, they are definitely delaying emerging, arriving or breeding. Even the frogs - which had already produced frogspawn down at the amphibian pond - seem to have gone back into hibernation.
One animal on the reserve which has defied the poor conditions however is a tawny owl, which has nested for the third consecutive year in an owl box in middle wood. A careful inspection of the box revealed the bird has already produced two eggs!"
Join John for his monthly 'Walk with a Warden' on the third Saturday of every month http://www.wwt.org.uk/visit/washington/whats-on/2013/04/20/walk-with-a-warden/
Thanks to wildlife photographer Alan Hewitt from Hawk's Head Photography for permission to use his above image of an avocet on Wader Lake. Read more about the upcoming Hawk's Head Photography workshops taking place at WWT Washington here: http://www.hawksheadphotography.com/wildlife-photography-washington-wetland-centre-wwt/
