Monthly Sightings Summary - December 2023

With the year coming to a close, the run of unusual birds appearing on the reserve continued apace. On the first of the month Ferry Lagoon was graced by a Long-tailed Duck, a rare bird which last occurred here in 2015.

Long-tailed Duck on Ferry Lagoon - Simon Freedman

Those who went to see it straight away obtained nice views but the following day it had already left. Elsewhere flooding during the month led to a large rise in birds using Middle Fen, having been pushed off the Ouse Washes further downstream. Thousands of Lapwing and Wigeon could be seen here, a fantastic sight for the reserve, and whilst on the topic of large congregations of birds, the Starling murmuration continued to perform at dusk with 20000 or so birds arriving to roost (give or take a few!). At one point with water levels so high the reeds disappeared completely on several lakes forcing the roost to choose less suitable sites such as Oxholme Lake with only a thin fringe of reeds. This helped Sparrowhawks and a Peregrine to successfully catch birds on a daily basis.

Below is a summary of sightings:

• Long-tailed Duck - first winter on Ferry on 1st
• Common Scoter - female on Ferry stayed the whole month and often showed well
• Little Egret - 38 on Drayton Lagoon on 1st
• Great Egret - 5 on Drayton Lagoon on 1st
• Caspian Gull - adult on and off on Ferry throughout
• Goosander - 3 redheads on Ferry on 7th and on later dates
• Red-crested Pochard - female on Swavesey Lake on 7th
• Siskin - 10 by Elney car park on 12th
• Cattle Egret - 12 in Middle Fen Drove on 13th
• Starlings - 20000 on most evenings roosting on Elney or Oxholme
• Lapwing - 1500 flying from Ferry to Moore on 14th
• Marsh Harrier - 3 birds on Oxholme on 14th
• Bittern - 2 on Oxholme on 14th was notable for this lake
• Peregrine - Oxholme on 18th hunting Starlings
• Pintail - 30 on Moore on 20th
• Black-tailed Godwit - 90 over Middle Fen on 21st
• Wigeon - 2000 on Middle Fen on 21st
• Black-necked Grebe - on Drayton Lagoon on 30th then moved over to Ferry Lagoon
• Mediterranean Gull - one in to the Drayton Lagoon roost on 31st
• Woodcock - Middle Fen on 31st

In other wildlife news, 3 Otters were seen on Ferry during the month, a relatively large count suggesting a family group perhaps.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has visited the reserve and shared their sightings with us during the year. A total of 167 bird species were seen this year, a return to form following a drop in species last year.