22nd May

Apologies for the lack of updates over the last week, i've been quite busy with admin stuff, and when i've managed to get out onto the reserves the light has always been poor so good photos have been hard to come by. 

So, what's about? Well, migration is slowly coming to a close, there's been a few migrant waders, a flock of 8 Turnstone at Shapwick Heath NNR being the pick of the bunch along with a few tardy Whimbrel, Ringed Plover and Dunlin. Most birds are settled on breeding grounds now, so it wont be until August that we get to witness the full extent of the miracle of migration again.

Our breeding birds are definitely settled, there's a slight lull in activity at the moment as territories have been established, and females are keeping their heads down incubating eggs. Any moment now though, chicks will start to hatch out and there will be an explosion of activity as hungry young mouths demand feeding. 

Possibly the worst photo ever taken of a Bearded Tit!
This male was carrying food back to a nest

This Blue Tit showed much better, looking for insects in reed stems
in much the same manner as a Bearded Tit

Bittern in the evening gloom

This drake Garganey has been showing well a Shapwick Heath
most mornings this week