Music of the Marsh

Spring merges into summer, time is racing like an unstoppable lightning bolt, I try to get out there more frequently than last year because I know if I blink then I may just miss it all…

The marshland and meadows are out of bounds for the general public until the 15th of June, there are many birds which nest on the ground there, such as lapwings, snipe and geese so I stay on the main footpaths for another week…theres a large family of greylag geese there at the moment….but it’s impossible getting anywhere near them, even without the imposed regulations…geese see you coming at a 100 metres or more, it’s those long necks. ☺ Also, without the reed to provide cover either side of the path I’m not going to be sneaking up on anything for a while at least…though the reed grows quickly once it gets going…

So I have a few key places I sit and wait, and watch and listen….the constant song of the sedge warbler has been the main feature this last month…

This last week I have noticed that the reed warblers have decided to turn up too…I am reasonably confident I can tell their songs apart now…the sedge warbler is more chaotic and avant-garde in his compositions and the reed warbler is more structured and patterned. There are a few grasshopper warblers too…I only ever catch a fleeting glimpse of one in flight. There are many willow warblers though….as the name suggests….wherever there is a willow there will be a willow warbler. ☺