Copyright C.Hoppins
We started with 6 , at the weekend there were 5. This photo was taken today and there is only 4.
Hopefully all these will survive.
Five cygnets hatched sometime on saturday. It was a lot of sitting for the female as incubation takes 36 days. This picture was taken around the ponds where, hopefully they will stay for a while so I can take some better pictures.
Butterflies like the sunny weather so it is a good time to out and look for them.
This one was taken at lunchtime on monday
Two whinchat were seen on the powderham marshes midday circa 150m from the swans nest gate.
Also hobby and perigrine on site with 100+ swift
The weekend started early with a spoonbill at Exminster on Friday
A drake Garganey stayed briefly on Saturday with up to three hobby over the marshes. A Lesser whitethroat was singing in the RSPB Exminster car park in the morning, also red kite and marsh harrier were reported over Topsham during the day.
The Lesser whitethroat stayed in to Sunday with cuckoo the highlight of our dawn chorus guided walk. The first Wood Sandpiper of the spring stopped over on one of our new scrapes created last autumn by the path to the Turf Hotel.
Today saw the spoonbill again on Exminster and more great hobby sightings - hobby feed up on the marshes prior to breeding nearby, it is no coincidence the first Hairy Dragonfly and Broad-bodied Chaser were on the wing this morning.
Cirl Buntings continue to sing in the Powderham marshes
Copyright A.J.Bellamy