“In like a lion and out like a lamb”, an old proverb about the weather in March suggesting it is unpredictable. It is always that decision as to what to wear and how many layers to put on!
This morning was no different for a pleasant walk with a jacket, fingerless gloves and a snood, around the Meadow trail to count birds on our last Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) of the season.
It’s a high energy month for wildlife with hibernators emerging, migratory species moving and lots of displaying and mating. The lakes are emptying. Just 4 goldeneye were counted on the Heronry Lakes. Look closer at any of the ducks and how handsome they look, particularly the males. Their beaks are colourful, their plumage brighter. The red crested pochard male is particularly handsome using his crest to display to his female. On WeBS, this morning, we stopped for a while watching 10 little grebe on Hayling Lake being very feisty, bobbing under the water and then coming up and charging each other. A lot of energy used up by such a small bird.
Its larger relative, the great crested grebe, has probably finished their displaying and wonderful courtship dance. If you sit in the Bus Stop Hide and look over to the far side, you should be able to see where they are nesting.
To see a Heron’s nest quite close, visit the Cobham Hide. The British Trust for Ornithology do a country wide Heronries Census. Apparently, the occupied nests are down to 9,301, a reduction of over 3,000 since the early 2000’s.
No guarantee of a sighting, but otters have been seen recently in the middle of the day from The Kingfisher Hide. Also close by, a pair of red kites have been seen mating.
Another occasional sighting was a Roe deer with a fawn in Rory’s Wood. It’s worth a walk up the Haul Road for that.
Another hide, that is being built at present, overlooks the Dodder Fen. The intention is to open up a pond close to the hide. I look forward to sitting there and watching dragonflies. Our first large red ones will emerge soon. A blue damselfly has been seen in a local garden in the last few days. Now that is early!
The guided walk took us around the Meadow trail yesterday. By the time we arrived at the ramp, it had warmed up enough for the bee flies to be active. It stayed under the magic 12 degrees, so we only saw 2 butterflies, a peacock and a comma. A big difference from the other day when the temperature rose to 18 degrees and there were lots of brimstone, comma and peacocks out and about. The early mining solitary bees also become active. Look at Grainne’s Mound by the Bus Stop and look out for the small eruptions on the pathways. That is where they have emerged from.
We had a new group visit Paxton Pits, the other day, from the Bryophyte society. They found over 70 different mosses. Our Big Book, showing all our known wildlife species), which can found at the end of the Visitor Centre, is getting bigger!
Bird Ringing starts soon. If anyone is interested in the results from last season, please contact me Also, next month, our breeding bird survey starts. It is worth the earlier start to hear our birds singing at their best. If you are interested in joining in, please contact me at friends@paxton-pits.org.uk. Also, I look forward to hearing about your Paxton Pits sightings.
Best wishes
Ann
Ann Thomas 22.3.26