13th July - 22nd July Midsummer weather

Juvenile Willow warbler (c) JR

Two exceptionally hot weekends with just a short heavy shower of rain on Friday the 19^th to relieve the heat stress on the moor. By late morning the reserve has been very quiet as everything slows down to manage the hottest part of the day. Despite the weather being the same from day to day there are changes to be detected, that emphasise the point that nature seldom stays still.

Adult Marsh Harrier (c) Bark

Out at the reedbed there were about five newly arrived Teal and many other wildfowl that are now gathering together and starting to moult. Over the reedbed we counted four newly fledged Marsh Harriers. They are distinctive in their uniform chocolate coloured plumage, their custard coloured heads and the lack of ability to fly or land well when compared with the adults. Their landings at present are little more than barely controlled crashes, as they have yet to figure out what will take their weight and where exactly their feet are. The three adults that we have identified were hunting across the whole moor and sometimes returning with prey.

Distant view of the G.C.G.s with two chicks (c) Bark

The pair of Great Crested Grebes on the southern lagoon have two chicks that can be seen riding on the backs of one or other of the adults. There are very many juvenile Coots everywhere.

Common Tern (c) Bark

On the northern lagoon there are now just one pair of Common Terns remaining with one well grown youngster. They go from fluffy little chicks to flying youngsters in a very short time, perhaps not surprising given their exceptionally nutritious diet and the frequency with which the parents service them. (BWP says fledging 22 - 28 days from hatching)

Bittern over the reedbed (c)  JR

Bitterns are still being seen over the reedbed but their feeding flights have become less frequent as the young birds soon spread away from the nest site and start to fend for themselves.

Distant record shot of Gropper (c) Bark

Unusually this last weekend there was a reeling Grasshopper Warbler calling from a low tussock of grass about forty metres out on Greenaways. It was there both days and showing clearly in the open. It clearly had not read the i.d. guide that says that they are skulking birds that sing from within deep cover!

Juvenile Stonechat from 9th July (c) Luke O'Byrne

I have been sent a photograph of a very young juvenile Stonechat that was taken on the 9^th July at the cattle pens. We did think that they might have bred out at the Pill last year and have occasionally thought that we had seen adult birds out in the north eastern part of Greenaways. Next year we will try to monitor them more closely if they are still here, as it will be a new breeding bird for the reserve if we can confirm it.

Mistle Thrush (c) Bark and phonescoped Redstart (c) Steve Roby

Long Meadow is beginning to repay a visit. Last weekend I found a family party of six young Mistle Thrushes feeding under the bushes and out in the freshly mown grass close to the Spinney. This is not a common species on and around the moor. This weekend S.R. found the first pair of Redstarts of the autumn passage. I went to look and we were rewarded by a brief sighting of a female flying out from the cover of a large bush to snatch some prey, it was probably a grasshopper as you walk through the grass they ping off in every direction.

Young Reed Warbler (c) Bark

It was also good to play spot the Warbler, as Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs and Lesser Whitethroats were all flitting around and in the bushes.

Brown Hairstreak (c) Bark

We found our first Brown Hairstreak of the season in the carpark field on Sunday morning. It was on the ground and clearly very recently emerged, its colours were so bright, fresh and clean. There were also several of them on show high up in the “master ash” along the Roman Road, along with some Purple Hairstreaks.

Froglet ideal for Cranes and Little Egrets

The Common Cranes are still being seen as they move between feeding areas but with the abundance of grasshoppers and small froglets they do not have to go far to find food.

Hot Hare (c) JR and Teasel (c) Bark