Please post your notable sightings on this thread. Notable means notable to you - no matter how common! Not only is it nice to share, but we can use the information in our casual sightings records to help maintain a picture of species and numbers on the reserve.
I'll set the ball rolling:-
Thursday 3rd Jan
Black tailed godwit x c200 in flight over Drayton Lagoon/Elney Lake
Goldeneye x 4 Drayton Lagoon South
1 Weasel
Tim Fisher
Sightings from Sunday 10 March, collected in the car park from visitors/volunteers/staff - 58 species.
wigeon
tufted duck
gadwall
goldeneye
teal
pochard
mallard
pintail
shoveler
Slavonian grebe
great crested grebe
grey heron
little egret
cormorant
snipe
black-tailed godwit
lapwing
oystercatcher
coot
moorhen
Canada goose
greylag goose
Egyptian goose
mute swan
black-headed gull
lesser black-backed gull
yellow-legged gull
herring gull
common gull
greater black-backed gull
Cetti's warbler
pied wagtail
skylark
lesser redpoll
treecreeper
goldcrest
robin
meadow pipit
goldfinch
great tit
chaffinch
blue tit
dunnock
long-tailed tit
blackbird
magpie
rook
crow
woodpigeon
stock dove
mistle thrush
redwing
starling
green woodpecker
great spotted woodpecker
marsh harrier
buzzard
kestrel
Alison Nimmo
RSPB Community Engagement Officer, Orkney
Bittern - Holywell Lake
Kingfisher
Waxwings x 12 flying over Holywell Lake
Siskins
Lesser Redpolls
Bullfinch
17/03/2013
Slavonian Grebe - showing well on Ferry Lagoon today from car park view point
Yellowhammer - entrance road
Mink - Ferry Lagoon car park view point
Linnets - entrance road
Kestrel - entrance road
I also saw the Slavonian Grebe, thanks to Alison and the use of the reserve scope.
I also think I may have seen a crane(?) on Drayton Lagoon.
On my walk I disturbed a large heron-looking bird. It was darker than a Grey Heron and not a Bittern. Unfortunately I was separated from it by the trees growing out of the water, and it was quick to leave. On looking at this site since, a Crane is a possibility. So I would be interested to know if anyone else saw one.
@earthhare
"I also think I may have seen a crane(?) on Drayton Lagoon."
That's interesting. Yesterday mid-morning I was driving between Swavesey & Longstanton and I thought I saw a crane, rather than a heron, fly overhead.
Uitlander
Hi earthhare & Uitlander,
Did either of you notice this birds head and neck during flight?
A Cranes head and neck is fully stretched out during flight as opposed to a Heron that folds its neck during flight.
During flight these birds have a totally different unmistakable look.
This was a 1-2 second glimpse whilst driving, so I was not entirely confident of my identification at the time, this is why I find earthhare's post interesting (but not an absolute confirmation).
The bird was dark/black and distinctively heron shaped/sized. I *think* the head and neck were fully stretched out. My first take was 'heron' followed by 'hang on, not heron - too dark and doesn't quite look right. Is that a crane?'
Co-incidentally.... I accidentally flushed out a large bird at Ouse Fen on Saturday. First reaction was 'heron', but it became clear it was a female marsh harrier. Big wing area, languid wing beat, could be quite heron-y unless you get a clear view.
I did see and report two Cranes in a field on the road from Longstanton to Bar Hill last year, so this is very possible.
You should see a white stripe on side of the Cranes head from its eye going down its neck, though it is not present on a juvenile.
As a funny thought, it can look as if they are flying backwards :-)
19/03/2013
Slavonian Grebe - Ferry Lagoon @ Discovery Zone
Mink - Ferry Lagoon @ Discovery Zone
Sparrowhawk - Ferry Lagoon @ Discovery Zone
Kingfisher - Moore Lake drain
Male Merlin - Far Fen Lake