We are back!
Apologies if you've been missing our regular wildlife updates. We should now be pretty much back to normal, and if you've not been visiting the reserve in the past few days you've been missing a treat.
Kingfishers, at least 4 different birds have been unmissable from the Ron Barker Hide. The southerly passage of waders has been excellent and in the past few days highlights have included, Wood Sandpiper, 4 Green Sandpiper, 4 Greenshank, Spotted Redshank, Common Sandpiper, 30+ Common Snipe, 50+ Black-tailed Godwit, 200+ Lapwing and Turnstone, the later being new for the year bringing our year list onto 160 species.
The first Wigeon have arrived just 4 birds, Teal numbers are slowly rising too. An eclipsed drake Garganey has also been seen with Teal on the Reed Bed Walk.
Daily sightings of Marsh Harrier (3+), Common Buzzards, Sparrowhawks and Kestrels all actively hunting on the reserve.
Just interrupting my typing this a flock of 15+ Long-tailed Tits with at least 2 Willow Warbler in tow as well as a few Coal, Blue and Great Tits. Yesterday (a personal highlight) a Nuthatch by the in focus shop was a reserve 'tick' and new bird for our shop list bringing us to 192 species seen since 1999.
