Halloween twitch

Great news - this week a rare and elusive species was spotted at Fen Drayton Lakes for the first time.

A band of young wildlife enthusiasts discovered the pumpkin bird roosting at the edge of Ferry Lagoon. We were particularly delighted to learn that it has managed to raise a chick this year despite poor conditions over the breeding season.

Exercising superb wildlife tracking skills, the group set out at dusk to trace the bird’s route around the reserve. By lantern light and moonlight they followed tell-tale orange footprints, feathers and droppings, and at last drew near enough to pick up its mysterious call.

Undigested remenants in the droppings provided a clue as to the bird’s diet, hitherto a mystery to ornithologists: carrots and orange jelly beans.

With the right habitat management we hope that the pumpkin bird will become a regular autumn visitor to the reserve.