A reserve alive with busy insects and birdsong
As the days lengthen, the reserve becomes more and more alive with birdsong and the constant humming of busy insects.
Although certainly quieter than it is in winter time without our enormous flocks of barnacle geese, teal and wigeon, there is a kind of peacefulness that overcomes the reserve in springtime. Taking a seat on a bench, you are welcomed with a warm breeze and the sweet melody of a willow warbler. Spend a moment watching a nest box and you’ll spot a tree sparrow bringing food to its brood of chicks.
Meandering along the summer trail, you will notice the flowers teeming with insects: butterflies, bumblebees and damselflies. As the summer comes into full force, we will only see more of these dynamic creatures.
You may be blessed with a sight of the osprey that frequents the reserve a few times a week. These impressive migrants nest nearby so they regularly fly through on their way to or from a hunting trip.
See below for more of our recent sightings for 6th to 13th May.
| Blackcap Buzzard Canada geese Chiffchaff Emerald damselfly Gadwall Goldfinch Goosander Grasshopper warbler Great spotted woodpecker Green veined butterfly Grey heron | ... | Lapwing Linnet Little egret Mallard and ducklings Moorhen and chicks Osprey Oystercatcher Pink footed geese Quail Redshank Sedge warbler | ... | Shelduck Sparrowhawk Swallow Teal Tree sparrow Weasel Wheatear Whooper swan Wigeon Willow warbler Wood sandpiper |
Written by Marianne Nicholson
Feature image of blackcap by Alex Hillier
