What with all the wind and rain, the survey season has got off to a frustratingly slow start this year.  Fewer avocets have arrived at the reserve compared to last year and as a result we have a lower nest count, which currently stands at eight on the freshwater marsh.  The first avocet nest has hatched three young which you should be able to spot exploring around the islands or being brooded by their mother (watch out for an avocet with more than two legs!) 

Two pairs of marsh harrier can be seen performing food passes over the reedbed.  If you are lucky, you may see the harriers touch talons as they pass food to each other in the air, opposed to the male dropping food, which the female then catches.  Either way it is a stunning display of aerial acrobatics! 

The last round of redshank surveys was completed this morning with a few near wobbles as we slipped and slid across the muddy creeks.  Individual birds are counted on each visit and a mean calculated to estimate the number of pairs; it is impossible to count the number of nests as they are nestled down deep in the saltmarsh vegetation.  The only way to find a redshank nest is to be lucky enough to flush a sitting bird, which we amazingly did twice this morning!  Please do not venture onto the saltmarsh as they are dangerous habitats, creeks flood quickly and you can easily become cut-off.

We were extremely lucky in today’s visit as we flushed two birds within a few metres   

Rowena Flavelle, Reserve Assistant

 
The Ray's Rambles list has suddenly shot up by 10, to 987, which is partly due to starting the moth trap.  This got me the following 5 new species:- common pygmy woodlouse, diamond-backed moth (a micro-moth), double-striped pug, a really smart swallow prominent and a superb female emperor moth.  Remember, anyone can come at 9 a.m.on Wednesdays till the end of the school summer holidays, and see what has been caught in the trap.

I found my next new species on a visitor's blouse, which caused some uncouth comments from my friends, but in my defence it was on her back and was the first eyed ladybird, a pine-wood species, to be recorded on the reserve.  It's rather like the common 7-spot ladybird, but has 15 black spots that are each surrounded by a narrow pale yellow border.

I was amazed that I hadn't recorded wavy bitter-cress during the last couple of years, I must have overlooked it.  My last 3 species though were complete newcomers to me.  The first of them, phyllobius pomaceus, is a blueish-green weevil that lives in nettle beds.  The second was a colony of tiny yellow fungi, small stagshorn, found on a rotting log on the way to Fen Hide.

The last, but by no means least, was a joint effort by staff members, visitors and myself.  A staff member found a beautiful violet growing near the cabin in the car park.  It was white, with dozens of bluey-violet specks, not like any I'd seen before.  Lots of people looked at it and one of our regular visitors thought it was viola adorata freckles, but he wasn't quite sure.  Then I got an e-mail from Caroline Falvey, who had come up with the same name and her input showed me a website where I could confirm the record.  Thank you everyone, much appreciated.  Your efforts have helped me see 437 wildlife species here this year, so far.
                       
                                   Ray Kimber.

Well, the third annual Wings over Titchwell weekend finished yesterday and despite far from ideal winds, we finished on a very creditable 121 speies seen from the reserve over the weekend. This is just two short of the record which we could have smashed.... if only the winds had been kinder allowing a few more waders though on their long migration journeys north.

Saturday, in particular was cold with those of us stupid enought to be on the reserve at 5am having to wear three fleeces, woolly hat and gloves to keep warm! I was fascinated to see the breath of a canada goose  'smoking' in the cold dawn air.

The weather was kinder on Sunday, even though our prayers for a nice gentle warm southerly breeze were never answered. The folk on the dwan chorus walk had a great time, the highlight being fourteen bearded tits right next to the west bank path. At one time we had eight recently fledged youngsters in the same field of view!

Other notables from the weekend were red kite, spoonbill and red crested pochard but the main highlight was the enthusiasm for Titchwell Marsh from all of the volunteers, staff, and visitors.

Many thanks to all those who took part..... we'll be back again next year!

Join us over the next two days between 9am and 5pm for our annual Wings over Titchwell extravaganza!

We will be showing you as many birds as possible during the peak time of spring migration. We should be able to see more than 100 species in a day! Weather permitting we might even beat the previous day record of 116 species set in 2010.

Lots of volunteers and staff will around the reserve to point out the fabulous birdlife of Titchwell, which might include our resident sky dancing marsh harriers, newly arrived summer migrants like reed and sedge warblers and ‘drop-in’ northbound migrants like Temminck’s stint.

Wings over Titchwell is free and there is no need to book.

With the wet and windy weather, the moth trap has been getting off to a slow start, so it was a lovely surprise to find a magnificent emperor moth in the trap yesterday.  Emperor moths are widely distributed throughout Britain and can often be seen flying during the day.  Their intricately patterned wings are designed to scare off predators by creating the impression of a pair of large staring eyes.

Keeping the emperor company amongst the egg boxes was a swallow prominent, red twin-spot carpet, water carpet, streamer, hebrew character and a couple of northern drab.  Come and discover some marvellous moths each Wednesday at Titchwell, there’s no need to book, just turn up from 9am outside the visitor centre!