Two weeks ago I was blogging about 'the big freeze at Arne' but now there are some definite signs that spring is on the way. On Saturday we helped visitors build 30 bird boxes in our 'Nutty about nest boxes' event. I managed to escape with my fingers intact and plenty of happy children left with their very own bird homes to put up in their gardens. Let’s hope there will plenty of birds nesting in new places this spring!
In the last few days there have been ladybirds and red admiral butterflies spotted about the reserve and I even had a honey bee fly into the visitor centre at the weekend. After spending several months underground wood ants have been seen scurrying along the heath land floor. The large ant nests that are found over the reserve have looked rather sad over the winter and have been easy to overlook but soon they will be a mass of industrious ants and will be turned back into impressive living structures.
It is all this wildlife that makes Arne an exciting place to come along to and another one of Arne’s star attractions has begun to emerge from its winter hibernation. On Tuesday Graham one of our roving wardens spotted this raft spider in a spot on the pond close to Shipstal point.
If you come along to Arne in the next couple of weeks have a good look for some of these early signs of spring and then pop in to the visitor centre and let us know what you have seen. You can also Come along to a special guided 'Spring song at Arne' walk on Saturday 17 March to discover some of the early signs of spring and to see the reserve at this exciting time of year http://www.rspb.org.uk/events/details.aspx?id=tcm:9-290126.
There are still lots of waders about including the avocets but hurry up if you haven't seen them yet because they will be heading back to the Netherlands in the next few weeks. I remember that when I started at the end of March last year the majority of the wintering waders and geese had all but disappeared. But don't worry because as the winter birds leave the spring birds begin to take centre stage. Look out for male Dartford warblers starting to sing for territories and now is the time to see woodlarks displaying. There have been lots more sightings of the spoonbills in the last few days and they have been spotted from both Coombe heath and the hide at Shipstal point. There are at least 10 about at the moment. The shot below is another taken by Graham on Tuesday. I like the punky hair-dos that they are sporting!
Thanks Michael, always lots to see but will be sad to see the Avocets go.
Bearing in mind Dom's recent discovery, do you by any chance know if there are still both Barn Owls around though I know only one camera on one roosting box?
is there 2 webcams this year or more??..I remember you saying perhaps Buzzard and maybe hobby as well michael..
The barn owl that Dom found was on the other side of the middlebere chanel so I am not sure that it was one of last years pair although as you say we only ever see the one in the box with the camera. We will only have one webcam this year but there will be able to stream atleast 4 cameras in the centre. We hope that we will have barn owls again and are also hoping to have nesting buzzards and we are looking at a nest at the momment on the screen in the visitor centre! I will keep you posted about what is happening and we fingers crossed we should have an exciting spring!
Many thanks for that, now stop working this time of night again!
Thanks for the info Michael..I wil look out next time I am at Arne...many applied for the job yet?..