Northward bound

In a nice departure from what is usually a quick fly through on their dash northwards we've had a few nice waders drop in a hang around in recent days.  Temminck's stint made a return to the site on Wednesday morning first thing - found by Martin Hodges.  The bird was still about at last visit today on Watton NR - after a visit to the southern marshes earlier this morning where it gave slightly improved images:

The reason for the difficulty in pictures is its size - here in comparison with a supposedly tiny little ringed plover (right) for comparison:

An equally smart bird was located by Jeff Barker on Monday - wood sandpiper on South Marsh East - present until yesterday night but not seen today:

More pics on Erich's blog here. Green sandpiper on Watton NR today with two common sands too.  Yesterday saw a ringed plover on Watton NR - an uncommon visitor to the reserve.  Avocet made a brief visit on Monday too.  Greenshank by Graham Slack earlier in the week:

And also by Roy L:

Perhaps the best bird of the week has been a turtle dove purring in South Scrub - a very uncommon species these days.  Osprey has been hanging around too - last seen over south marsh east at 17:15 this evening after a few sightings through the week.  Ring necked duck still at the top of D res this afternoon too:

Up to three little gulls around most days - thanks to Roy L for these great shots:

Best of the rest included two calling cuckoos - perhaps parasitising some of the abundant warblers around site like this reed warbler by Graham:

With common whitethroat:

And sedge by John Hakes:

Who also captured this reed bunting:

Sedge by Roy L:

Anyone wanting to experience more of the warblers around site is welcome to pop down to the warbler walk this weekend - no booking necessary and free with standard admission we'll be looking at some of the varied calls and songs courtesy of Dave from Wolds Birdlife.
PLEASE NOTE; this event will be starting later than the previously advertised 10am - the event will now be running between 13:30 and 15:30. 

If the temperature drags itself into double figures you may encounter a few more of these four spotted chasers around site - thanks to Martin for this sequence of pictures showing the emergence of a fresh flyer - for the full show as ever see his blog here:

Geese still scrapping around site - thanks to Steve Brimble for these:

Grey heron on North Marsh:

And also marsh frog - now in full chorus on North Lagoon!:

One good tern deserves another

A couple of nice finds this week (omitting the near resident ring necked duck seen daily on D res or Watton NR - most recent pictures on Dave Ware's Wolds Birdlife page); black tern on Wednesday was a nice seasonal visit.  We usually reckon on a visit by these continental breeding terns on their migration on at least one occasion a year - thanks to Roy L for this one (tern bottom nearly obscured by swifts!):

The volunteers have also been doing some excellent work.  As we have drained the southern marshes this year the terns have been rehoused to Watton Nature Reserve, unfortunately their rafts there were rapidly colonised by black headed gulls.  However a pair of rafts which were formerly on High Eske but could not be maintained there were kindly brought up by Richard Sears last week - photo by Erich Hediger:

The team then transferred them to the tractor trailer - chief lasher Mike at work:

The overseer at work!:

And the finished result - common terns were on the raft within the hour and seem to be settling well:

The other main highlight was picked out by Martin this evening - a pair of temminck's stints on Watton NR at 5:40pm - a 'record shot' here:

A few waders in the week, whimbrel on Friday heading north, greenshank on South Marsh East Thursday to today, redshank by Andy Marshall on Thursday night:

There today were 3 1st summer little gulls which have been round most of the week:

Willow warbler near the back to back hides tonight:

 With bullfinches:

Stay a bit later and you may be rewarded; otter by Andy at last light carrying bedding material - possibly to a nearby holt we built a couple of years ago:

Foxes on the go too - check out Tony's blog for some great new pics.  Remember to be about on site after 6pm you need to be a member - but there were a pair of otters showing on North Marsh at 10am last Saturday.  At the other end of the spectrum your more likely to find something new looking in the undergrowth.  Thanks to Doug Fairweather for this new addition - water ladybird - the first recorded on site ever:

More details on Martin's blog with a nice array of hoverflies - no doubt details of the new micro moth sp to follow too and pale prominent pictures - an uncommon addition to the Moth list for the first time in a few years.  Martin also witnessed an impressive sight on Wednesday - the osprey which was still around today attempting to catch a hare on Decoy Fields, whilst in the foreground a swift was caught by the now proficient sparrowhawk.  Still plenty to go at though - 1000's on the reservoir daily thanks to Roy L for this:

Insect supply is still low in the wider environment but there's always plenty to be found over the reservoirs - if only moths were as plentiful as midges in the traps - a typical catch.  A lifetime's work to identify the contents of this alone no doubt - so much to look at if you delve into it:

The ringing team under Graham Scott have again restarted for season.  Interestingly these two blackbirds were re-caught last week.  They were both rung as adults in the scrub way back in 2010 - making them at least 4 years old and more than likely still a pair as caught just a couple of feet apart:

Inspecting more breeding birds we took the opportunity to explore Hempholme Meadows yesterday which unearthed the first blue tailed damselfly of the year.  Anyone who wants to learn more about odonata identification and distribution on the reserve and locality is well advised to order a copy of this new book by Paul Ashton - a long term member of the reserve and British Dragonfly Society recorder for this area:

The book is priced at £24.95 postage free for a limited period only direct from Paul - all the details here.  Highly recommended...

The Meadows have been colonised by lady's smock now - in amongst a range of other exciting shoots to study as summer goes on:

Including meadow foxtail - one of our Higher Level Stewardship target species and a natural relic from the seedbank - we may try and harvest seed to propagate plugs from this later on:

All good fodder for at least 3 water vole territories as evidenced by nibblings around the ditches:

Evidence too of otter prints - picked out by Chris Earl:

 

And a few sprainting sites:

And kingfisher by Roy L:

Which brings us on to this finale.  How did this occur? My theory is the stickleback jumped clear of a perch or pike and became impaled on this overhanging branch - what a way to go...

Flying fish

Perhaps the highlight of the last few days has been osprey; the bird was first picked out on D reservoir on Saturday before Brian Colley stumbled upon the bird eating a fish near the East Hide and flew off north west with its breakfast:

 

In Brian's pictures there is a suggestion of a yellow darvic ring:

 

Dave Ware also picked the bird up a little later making a return down the river Hull - again a great set of pictures and for more check out his blog:


Martin Hodges too snapped the bird - more details undoubtedly to follow on his blog along with all the updates from a somewhat stilted moth and dragonfly season - one which has seen the first four spotted chaser this morning.  A plug via Martin too for the Odonata in the Algarve project - a new website here by Nuno de Santos Loureiro designed to develop and highlight dragonflies in Portugal for those of you fortunate enough to visit and pass on your records.

The ring necked duck still present as ever on D res - thanks to Nigel Genn for this fine shot:

It has been joined on the res this week by a variety of other interesting species.  A drake garganey outshining it on Saturday, common sandpiper on the wall this morning with grey, yellow and pied wagtail.  Little gull dropped in both weekend days with Erich bagging mediterranean gull on Saturday, and hobby has been a regular amongst the swifts and hirundines still massed over the res with Peregrine causing upset again too on Sunday.  Mistle thrush on the wall by Nigel too:

Still at least three cuckoos calling on site yesterday and for anyone after the cute factor the foxes on Watton now have 4 cubs seen this afternoon too - often to be found sunning themselves in the morning.