Wednesday 26 May 2010

Temminck's and Terns




Temminck's stints have again graced the Reserve with a pair on Watton on Saturday (digiscoped above - with lapwing head for a scale), rising to three on Sunday and also came onto South Marsh East which is good for the challenge totals. Sunday also saw a group of black terns over D reservoir, and the first passage little gull of the summer. Other odd sightings have included a build up of curlews, lapwings and even an osprey yesterday over O reservoir and Watton - all presumably either non-breeders or have failed for this year. The first pair of spotted flycatchers have returned to O woods but no sign of the car park pair as yet. Marsh harrier has been about again along with a greenshank, and the first black-headed gull chicks are now visible on the Southern Marshes. The first orchid has been seen in flower today - one of our common-spotted/marsh hybrids. Best 'moth' of the trap was probably this good sized nursery web spider which had found its way into the trap, but otherwise a good spread of others including the sandy carpet pictured above. The Saturday heat made one of the best dragonfly days yet - for a full write up see Martin's blog here.