Monthly Sightings Summary - January 2024

Spotted Redshank on the river by Ferry - one of the more unusual sightings this month - Henry Cook

A new year, a new month, and for many birders and birdwatchers, a new year list. For much of the month large volumes of rain fell and flooded the reserve to the highest level since the RSPB has owned the site (2007 onwards), and according to locals who have lived in the area all their lives the water was at its highest ever level. This made accessing most of the reserve impossible but it did bring on large numbers of wildfowl and waders which had been forced upstream from the washes. Wigeon numbered over 1500 on several occasions and Lapwings reached around 1500 at the peak of the flood. A cold snap later in the month froze some parts of the reserve giving us a dose of winter in an otherwise mild spell. By the month's end the water levels were starting to fall in the lakes and river and visitors could explore most of the reserve once again.

Sightings around the reserve included:

• Common Scoter - the long-stayer remained into the new year on Ferry
• Black-necked Grebe - one on Ferry on 1st
• Caspian Gull - on Ferry on 1st
• Black-tailed Godwit - 50 on Ferry Mere on 1st, rose to 300 by 16th
• Kittiwake - flew through Drayton on 2nd, a less than annual visitor
• Ruff - 6 on Far Fen field on 4th, 30 around Covell's Drain on 6th
• Raven - 2 over Middle Fen on 6th
• Pintail - 35 on Moore Lake on 12th, 180 on Ferry on 16th, rising to a peak of 272 on the reserve on 18th
• Glossy Ibis - one on Ferry Lagoon on 13th and moved to Elney/Springhill for much of the rest of the month
• Spotted Redshank - with godwits on Middle Fen on 15th and on river by Ferry on 18th
• Yellow-legged Gull - 2 adults in to roost on Drayton Lagoon on 22nd
• Ferruginous Duck - female on Elney Lake from car park on 27th and stayed into Feb, the presumed long-staying bird which has toured a number of Cambs sites
• Merlin - flew over Elney car park on 27th
• Stonechat - pair by river on Ferry on 27th
• Smew - 5 on Drayton Lagoon on 28th, likely the wintering flock from St Ives GPs

Mammals - a Common Seal was seen a couple of times actually in Ferry Lagoon and moved into the adjacent drain and river system. An Otter was also seen scampering over the ice on Ferry Lagoon on 18th. A warm day on 29th encouraged out a white butterfly species from hibernation/early pupation and a bat species was seen at dusk, both very unseasonal sightings.