This month saw some good wader and tern migration through the reserve. You had to be lucky to see them as they could drop in out of the sky and be off again within minutes but some stuck around for a day or two. It was also a good spell for seeing Garganey with up to 4 being seen on Ferry at the peak but often a single drake present hiding in the vegetation as viewed from the shelter. Overall it proved to be an excellent month with a wide range of species to be seen including the return of our Turtle Doves. Notable sightings during May included:

  • Ringed Plover - Moore on 1st, Ferry on 29th
  • Shelduck - 4 on Moore on 1st, 6 at Holywell on 9th
  • Great Egret - 3 roosted on Elney on 2nd
  • Turtle Dove - 2 at Far Fen on 2nd, 5 back around the reserve by 26th
  • Nightingale - 1 on south side of Ferry on 3rd - none heard since
  • Common Sandpiper - Moore on 3rd
  • Greenshank - Ferry on 4th and on18th
  • Black-necked Grebe - 3 on Ferry on 4th
  • Arctic Tern - Ferry on 4th
  • Grey Plover - Ferry on 4th, 3 on 5th, 1 on 18th-19th in fine summer plumage
  • Black-tailed Godwit - 2 on Ferry on 4th
  • Cattle Egret - 5 on Middle Fen on 7th
  • Turnstone - Moore on 10th, Ferry on 30th
  • Little Gull - 4 1st summers on Ferry on 10th, 1 till 13th
  • Mandarin - drake on Ferry on13th-14th
  • Glossy Ibis - 3 on Ferry on 18th, hopefully our returning birds from last summer
  • Yellow Wagtail (Blue-headed) - 1 on Moore on 19th of the continental race
  • Green Sandpiper - 1 on Ferry on 23rd, a late northward migrant or the first returning failed breeder, it's hard to be sure
  • Avocet - 1 on Moore on 23rd
  • Garganey - 4 on Ferry on 26th
  • Raven - 1 over Ferry on 26th
  • Osprey - 1 over Swavesey Lake on 29th, becoming more frequent in recent years
  • Black Tern - 3 on Ferry on 29th-30th, 5 on 31st on Ferry and Moore

Best of the rest included an Otter, Norfolk Hawkers, Hairy Dragonfly, Scarce Chaser, Banded Demoiselle, Orange-tip, Small Heath, Holly Blue, Wasp Beetle, 24spot Ladybird, Slender Ground-hopper, Spindle Ermine and the rare Tiger Sawgill fungus growing on willow stumps in Paddy's Pond (pictured below).

Tiger Sawgill fungus

Henry Cook
Assistant Warden – Fen Drayton Lakes