Late OCtober

October is drawing to a close but a few dragonflies have still been flying at Willsbridge in the past week, mostly those most hardy of insects, common darters, but I also spotted a single southern hawker on the 28th briefly patrolling the mill pond. Leaf cover is now thinning which means light is permeating through the canopy allowing birds to be more readily seen. A robin has set up residence in the northeast of the reserve near the old fence posts where walkers regularly drop food. This little area is prime real-estate for robins but is also included in the foraging circuit for great, blue and long-tailed tits. I spotted today (30th) a tree creeper. Light was awful so no pictures, but two days ago I got a nice photo of a dipper in the brook near California Road.

As has been reported in previous years, a robin has taken up residence near a regular winter food supply at the northeast of the reserve. This is in all probability not the one that was here last year as their lifespan is sadly very short, on average about a year and a half. They like mealworms best, but will take assorted seeds. I left the peanuts here for bluetits and great tits as robins won't touch them.

Dippers can often be found along Siston Brook in or near Willsbridge. This is normally a bird of the countryside so we are extremely fortunate to see them in suburbia. They regularly nest under the bridge near the mill but can best be seen in the winter months.