Strumpshaw Fen RSPB reserve is a magical place in spring. My colleague, Ian Robinson, who is our Area Officer for the Broads – just sent through this description of a walk around the reserve – enjoy!
Picture this morning’s scene:5.15am, dead calm, mist hanging over Strumpshaw Broad, sun just coming over the trees, sedge and reed warblers singing away, cuckoos calling, bittern booming; fantastic moody sky – a landscape painter or photographer’s dream, female otter blowing bubbles underwater popping up 50m away crunching on small fish.
Just past the boardwalk a fledged song thrush chick looking absurd with downy-ear tufts – conjured up an image of Tommy Copper wearing his fez.
Blackcap and garden warbler trying to confuse the birdwatcher singing every 50m along the riverbank.
Lapwing with frosted feathers sitting tight on her nest on the island in front of Tower hide, Cetti’s warbler blasting out its song in the undergrowth.
Further on a snuffling sound only a metre away – a surprised otter cub chomping on the remains of a bream it had caught is spooked and does an Olympics-style run and dive into the river.
Cuckoos still calling, common terns drift past, swifts scythe overhead.
Nearly back to civilisation I stop to see if the water vole I’d seen yesterday evening was there – it was asleep on the edge of the trail, totally oblivious, I said hello, it didn’t wake up – so close I could have tickled it.
What’s next – hopefully lapwing and redshank chicks in abundance at Buckenham, swallowtails, Norfolk Hawker, scarce chaser, marsh helleborine, water soldier, marsh pea, milk parsley ... sounds like a Date with Nature to me.
Strumpshaw Fen is just one of the fabulous RSPB reserves you can visit this weekend – have look here and then go and fill your senses.
And here's a picture of a water vole - this one isn't asleep!
What a wonderful story! I can't wait to get down to Strumpy and check out the gorgeous otters!