I thought we better start a fresh sightings thread for the summer, now the original one has got rather long!
Please share your wildlife encounters at Fen Drayton Lakes, common or rare - not only is it nice to share, it helps fellow visitors know what to look out for and helps us keep a record of the wildlife here from month to month.
To start us off, here are some highlights from the weekend 1-2 June.
On the Moore Lake islands, which you can see from the hide, there are avocets, oystercatchers and redshanks with chicks. The avocets are up to at least 10 chicks - see the blog for a photo!
Other birds around the reserve: red kite, marsh harrier, hobby, buzzard, sparrowhawk, kestrel, kingfisher, swift, swallow, house martin, common tern, skylark, cuckoo, jay, lapwing, common sandpiper, blackcap, little egret, garden warbler, sedge warbler, reed warbler, willow warbler, Cetti's warbler, whitethroat...
Butterflies: orange tip, brimstone, small tortoiseshell, peacock, small white
Dragonflies and damselflies: common blue damselfly, variable damselfly, azure damselfly, hairy dragonfly, red-eyed damselfly, banded demoiselle
Mammals: hare, rabbit, grey squirrel and fox
Alison Nimmo
RSPB Community Engagement Officer, Orkney
05/09/2013
Osprey - over Moore Lake after fog cleared
Water Vole
Stoat - Discovery Zone
Kingfishers - Moore Lake and Ferry Lagoon
Common Lizards
Buzzard
Sparrowhawk
Hobby
6th September 2013
Curlew x 2 - Moore Lake
Dunlin x 3 - Moore Lake
Red-Legged Partridge x 3 - Entrance Road
06/09/2013
Further to Judith D sightings today, (great to meet you in the hide by the way).
Just after you left, 3 Curlews came in and stayed for 1 hour, please see the photos. You will be glad to hear that no Common Sandpiper's came in. See you both around the reserve.
what a great day in the hide today, lots of interest, one of those corker days.
Great White Egret
Little Egret x 12
Snipe x 10
Buzzard x 2
And much more,
All from Coucher Hide on Moore Lake.
Brilliant and excellent photos (re. Common Sandpipers too!). Great to meet you and no doubt we'll see you around soon.
Great morning in Coucher Hide - 10/09/2013, sightings included:
Osprey (distant views)
Snipe x 3
Dunlin x 3
Wigeon x 100+
Lapwing x 200+
Little Egret x 2 (but no sign of the Great White Egret today)
Elsewhere on the reserve:
Bittern - excellent views of the bird in flight, circling Oxholme Lake before flying off towards Holywell Lake
17/09/2013
Kingfisher
Whinchat
22/09/2013
Two Ravens on Moore Lake
24/09/2013
Bittern
Curlews x 2
Snipe
Very large Terrapin
27/09/2013
Red Kite
22/10/2013
On Moore Lake,
Great White Egret x 2
Little Egret x 15+