Etton Maxey - high summer

Just as we have our first summer weather, natural world events remind us that the season turns…or terns.


Those birds which chose the islands in Tarmac’s 2011 workings (towards the Maxey-Helpston road) suffered flooded out nests and lost chicks. On the LCT reserve we had three smarter pairs of terns on two rafts this year, with two pairs raising two chicks each. However only one youngster was confidently seen to survive to flight….maybe a shortage of food or the cold and wet conditions took their toll. On reaching the bench overlooking the lake, there seems a gap not to have the parents fly over to check you out and issue their “keep away” warning cries. There was also a resident breeding pair of oyster catchers – two adults and one juvenile this week.

The water level has been allowed to drop to expose more muddy water’s edge in time for the late summer return of the waders – the migration has already begun this year.

This makes problems for the large carp – five of which were seen earlier in the year in the deep dyke surrounding the lake; this week they were marooned in the eastern pool – dorsal fins breaking the water surface as they cruised in the weed, but quite visible in the clear water. Luckily the inflow of ground water keeps the lake fresh and cool – about 7cm inflow per day when the pump is inactive.

The summer birds may have moved on – however the skimming swallows and martins are replaced by a fleet of dragonflies – brown hawkers and emperor dragonfly over the lakes, blue damselflies over the grassland, and several different species seen by the insect experts.

Ditto the brown hares – where do they go? Two handsome pairs were commonly seen in the south end and north west grassland areas, the latter with young – but not for the last three or so weeks. However a large grass snake cruised the wet ridge between the lake and the southern grassland area. The skylarks are still around – but no longer singing to proclaim their territory or breeding prowess.

The attempt to encourage winter small birds with a seeded area alongside the Maxey Road hedgerow has not been a first-off success as the carefully selected seed did not germinate effectively. However ploughing the strip has allowed native annual plant species to flourish rather than just the meadow grass , so there will be a benefit of sorts…Maybe in anticipation, a spectacular and mature buzzard has taken residence daily in the NE corner of the reserve.