It's autumn

Not so much in the form of the drawing in evenings more so in the waders.  After a steady beginning we're now starting to see a steady trickle of familiar wader species through the reserve.  Up to two common sandpipers are regularly encountered on D res wall - thanks to David Ware for this picture from today:


Martin Hodges got the highest green sandpiper count as yet on Saturday - 4 birds on South Marsh East.  News on this and the insect finds on the new site here.

Elsewhere there have been a few fly-over black tailed godwits.  Dunlin on South Marsh East on Sunday / Monday.  A pair of greenshank on Tuesday / Wednesday and a regular 300 lapwing.  A juv little ringed plover was a welcome sighting last Sunday on Watton NR - ours apparently left for home a good month ago after an unsuccessful season which barely saw any breeding activity.  One small wader was not so lucky on Thursday - apparently taken by a female marsh harrier.

Other raptor sightings include hobby and osprey.  Jeff Barker has some great pictures on Flickr of two little egrets feeding on Hempholme Meadow last Sunday.  Great crested grebes are building up on the D reservoir:

 Along with a stripey juv - so they were successful somewhere:

But already there is a noticable increase in gulls - lesser black backed and black headed's a constant presence on the walls:

But common gulls are now returning in numbers along with this years young:

Not long before the cold nights looking for white wingers now!