A new sightings thread for the winter months. Please tell us about 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.
There's also now a sightings list in the car park at the information board, where you can write up what you've seen on the reserve, and remember you can also post photos on this website.
Here's what's been written up on the board over November so far:
1/11 60 goldfinches feeding on teasels by car park, 120 golden plovers SE over car park, two Cetti’s warblers singing/calling around Holywell Lake
3/11 male sparrowhawk
5/11 barn owl, starlings, buzzard
6/11 little egret, redshank
7/11 five Egyptian geese over Oxholme Lake, male sparrowhawk
8/11 50 golden plovers, 75+ pochards and a kingfisher at Ferry Lagoon, two Cetti’s warblers and a water rail heard regularly at Oxholme, 10 siskins and 30 fieldfares by bus stop, great crested grebes displaying on Ferry!
10/11 two weasels
11/11 six goldeneyes on Drayton Lagoon
13/11 grey seal in the river near bridge, long-tailed tits, kingfisher south side of Ferry Lagoon, shovelers, pochards, mice, lots of grey herons around Ferry Lagoon
14/11 kingfisher on Ferry Lagoon in willows to right of car park, grey heron, 30 little egrets, goldfinches
16/11 kingfisher in gulley by Swavesey Lake
17/11 male goldeneye on Ferry Lagoon
Alison Nimmo
RSPB Community Engagement Officer, Orkney
28/12/2013
Shag - showing very well, SE corner Ferry Lagoon this afternoon. It cruised across to the trees where the Cormorants roost about 15.00 and disappeared from view. Presumably roosting there.
Also at least 3 Pintail among the Wigeon flock.
29/12/2013
Shag, SW bay on Ferry Lagoon this morning, easy close viewing.
Kingfisher, Holywell pond.
Treecreeper, several low in trees opposite NE view point on Elney Lake.
Also redhead Goosander & ca. 15 Pintail Ferry Lagoon this afternoon.
Shag still on Ferry Lagoon today, also 1CY Mediterranean Gull in the roost this afternoon.
The tristis-type "Siberian" Chiffchaff found yesterday by Ade Cooper still present today, in hedgerow along river bank opposite Ferryboat pub. Not heard to call yet but plumage characters look good.
Also subadult Shag still on Ferry Lagoon (west end), redhead Goosander and 2 Siskins over.
Adult Mediterranean Gull in the Ferry Lagoon roost this evening, also 1CY and 2CY Caspian Gulls. Subadult Shag till dusk.
04/01/2014
Marsh Harrier
Kingfisher
Shag - close to benches on South shore of Drayton Lagoon
Shag still present this am (04/01) on Ferry Lagoon - stood on the spit leading to the Cormorant roost.
07/01/2014
Sparrowhawk
Godwit flocks
Plover flocks
Lapwing flocks
Shag
Bullfinches
Cetti's Warbler
11/01/2014
Water Rail
Pintail
Buzzard
Wren