Nobody has found the yellow browed warbler yet which must be lurking somewhere on site - but what had these coots found?
Picked up by
Martin on the first of no doubt many winter vigils on the D res gull roost was this great skua or 'Bonxie' upsetting the peace and much to the disgust of the mute swans - always interesting to see the obvious innate behaviour stimulated in species which have likely never met as individuals:
Distant record shots - worthwhile as its around 10 years since the last:
If anyone can read the ring number feel free:
It exited the reservoir by 17:55 but was replaced by 4 mediterranean gulls, with 4 little gulls earlier, 16 pintail and around 600 freshly arrived wigeon today. 4 siskins another sign of Autumn in the lagoon alders with many goldcrests and other small birds in D woodlands.
Thanks to Steve Hines for this great shot of the North Marsh kingfishers:
There are still reports of otters about on site; apparently running past 3 people on the main path round O res in the middle of Saturday. Thanks to Steve too for this one of common darter:
Doug Fairweather turned up this site first today - a rhopalid bug
Corizus hyoscyami:
It overwinters as an adult - all the details on British bugs
here. Hopefully well out the way of Cliff in his element:
You may have noted a few burnt reed beds around the reserve of late - we do this to burn out the organic materials that build up in the base of the reeds; enriching and raising the soils allowing brambles and hawthorns to establish. Any saplings are killed off like this hawthorn:
All the reed rhizomes and orchids are nicely tucked away in the soil beneath and will return next spring free of their competitive neighbours (even the sneezewort!)
As ever the forecast looks cracking looking to peak on Wednesday when strong Easterly winds will hit a band of heavy rain approaching from the west prompting any passage migrants to drop in. Hopefully bonxie and little stint won't be the only vagrants this week...
