Time: 07:30 – 09:25 (19th) and 07:30 – 09:45 (25th)
Weather: sunny with scattered cloud, light south-easterly breeze, 13.5°C rising to 18°C (19th); overcast, fresh westerly breeze, 18°C (25th).
One of the great things about having your own patch is that it allows you to monitor changes throughout the year. Sometimes these changes are subtle or gradual. Sometimes they can be more sudden. This week on the reserve is definitely a case of more abrupt change.
Firstly, we have gone from a lengthy heatwave to cooler (and thankfully wetter) conditions. This will be very welcome as some areas of the reserve are parched. Secondly, Flora Field has just been harvested which has opened this great field up again to watchers of wildlife. And by the looks of it, the birds have missed Flora Field as well. I counted almost two hundred and fifty birds this morning, spread across twelve different species. It’s a fact that I’ve never been able to pass any group of gulls without looking carefully though them.
This morning that certainly paid dividends as among the Black-headed Gulls on the field was an adult Mediterranean Gull, just coming out of its summer plumage. Initially it offered only distant views on the far side of the field but eventually it appeared much closer to the road, showing very well. Although these are nowhere near as scarce as they used to be, this is still a nice record for the reserve.
- Single Little Egrets were seen over Flora Field on both days, flying north-east (19th) and south-west (25th). Totals for the latter date were: 83 Woodpigeon, 1 Stock Dove, 10+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 10+ Herring Gulls, 13 Black-headed Gulls, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 45 Greylag Geese, 3 Canada Geese, 70 Jackdaws, 3 Carrion Crows and 2 Rooks. A female Pheasant was on the far side of the field with three young, the first conclusive evidence of breeding this year.
- A Chiffchaff was in the hedgerow by Pony Wood on 19th, when a single Jay was seen in Little Wood. A Grey Squirrel was in Pony Wood on 25th.
- The male Reed Bunting was singing in Lower Sower Holme on 19th and a party of 4+ Long-tailed Tits were in the adjoining hedgerow near the orchard on 25th.
- Another Chiffchaff was in the hedgerow alongside Big Meadow on 19th and a female Roe Deer was in Hay Meadow on 25th, offering wonderful views from the footpath.
- Ripley Field hosted 11 Black-headed Gulls and 1 Oystercatcher on 19th, whilst 37 Black-headed Gulls and a Grey Heron were present on 25th.