Spring is almost Sprung

For a few hours this morning it was actually wind-free, sunny and humid and a real joy to walk round without needing a coat or heavy jumper. With a colder and wet weekend forecast it will be a short-lived rare occurrence but any rain will be welcome on the parched ground.
Not only did the sunny conditions brighten up the reserve but the reflection from this rape field on the neighbouring farmland also added to the colour of the morning.

As did this male Yellow Wagtail, one of several newly arrived from their winter quarters in South Africa. We currently have 4-5 pairs on the reserve and if they all stay to breed it will be the most for several years.

The breeding season on the reserve is finally beginning to catch up after it's late start and a few days ago I came across this lovely brood of Mallard ducklings in a ditch. Several broods of Greylag Geese goslings are also in the seawall fleet and so the wildfowl appear to be leading the way in the successful breeding stakes.

 Likewise the Coots, I have found seven nests so far this last week.

Hopefully the big success that we have been having in recent weeks with crow trapping will ensure that these rather vulnerable eggs will be left alone, in recent years whole clutches of eggs have been eaten by crows over a couple of days.

The Avocets are also busy in The Flood and will also welcome the fact that there are less crows and foxes on the reserve so far.

Finally, the first Reed Warblers have now arrived and are doing their best to out sing the rather noisier Sedge Warblers in the reed beds. Spring is finally taking off and to emphasise that fact I had an Orange Tip and a Small Copper butterfly along one of the reserve paths - great stuff.