Monthly Sightings Summary - March 2024

Grey Partridge along the entrance road by Simon Freedman

March has been an exciting month on the reserve with the habitats coming in to good condition for waterbirds and the bushes hosting the first returning migrants. This has led to lots of visitors making a visit to the reserve and the added benefit of the Easter break giving people time to visit. One of the main features of the month has been the emerging grasslands out on Ferry with the flood waters finally going down. This area has held the most interest bird-wise, with first returning Garganey along with flocks of Black-tailed Godwits and other waders. In addition to this, the first returning migrants have been singing from the bushes with Chiffchaffs back in numbers, the first Blackcaps and Willow Warblers too. Overhead the first Sand Martins and Swallows have been seen but don't tend to hang around for long at this stage of the season, the birds being keen to keep heading north.

Sightings of note during the month:

• Pintail - 250+ on Ferry on 3rd
• Shelduck - first on 5th, peaking at 11 on 19th
• Dunlin - Ferry on 10th
• Little Gull - first on 11th
• Oystercatcher - 2 on Middle Fen on 11th
• Black-tailed Godwit - 500 on Middle Fen on 11th, peaking at 1000 on 17th and a smaller flock on Ferry throughout much of the month
• Grey Partridge - 2 on entrance road on 13th and on 18th
• Spoonbill - reported on 13th
• Chiffchaff - 8 on Middle Fen on 14th
• Goosander - 3 on Ferry on 14th
• Avocet - 4 on Ferry on 17th
• Ruff - 20 on Middle Fen on 17th
• Sand Martin - first over Drayton on 17th, 2 at Webb's Hole on 18th
• Cattle Egret - 19 on Ferry riverbank on 18th, and Far Fen Field on 27th
• Blackcap - Elney on 18th
• Grey Plover - one on Ferry on 21st
• Mediterranean Gull - over Ferry on 21st
• Woodcock - Elney on 22nd
• Lesser Redpoll - 13 on Holywell on 22nd
• Mandarin - one on Moore on 22nd
• Willow Warbler - first back on 24th at the Car Park
• Little Ringed Plover - first back on 26th
• Garganey - drake on Ferry on 26th and for remainder of month
• Bittern - first boomer of the year on Elney on 26th - over a month later than last year due to flooding
• Green Sandpiper - on Moore on 27th
• Swallow - the first 2 over Moore on 27th
• Barnacle Goose - one frequented the riverbank area by Ferry from 29th
• Curlew - 2 flew over Middle Fen on 30th

In other wildlife news, Common Seal, Otter, Stoat, Weasel and Chinese Water Deer have all been reported on the reserve, the seal sticking to the river. The first big emergence of butterflies and other invertebrates has now taken place. Tawny Mining Bee was seen a number of times, a colourful member of the family to look out for early in the season. A fungal find was that of Common Bird's-nest Fungi which has only been recorded on 6 other RSPB reserves around the country.

Common Bird's-nest fungi - Henry Cook