Fen Drayton Lakes Sightings - Please post your sightings here...

A couple of walks since my last post on the 21st April, again just bimbling around my local patch (Swavesey Lake and the "Ferry's").

Thursday May 8th (15:30 - 18:30)

Persistent light rain.

The black-winged stilt seen by Patricia is still showing nicely in a  field immediately north east of the reserve road at the busway halt crossing.

A nightingale sang briefly in scrub by the bridle path immediately S of the Fisherman's Car Park (between Swavesey Lake and Ferry lagoon).

Nine bullfinch sightings between Constable Rood and the (above) Fisherman's Car Park; double counts possible but I think at least 3 pairs.

Nine male and 3 female pochard on Ferry Mere and a pair of greylag's "towing" c.10 small goslings. No black terns seen.

Both Egyptian goslings (reported earlier) are now about 2/3 grown - seen on the flushes at the NW end of Ferry Lagoon.

Also on Ferry Lagoon, a water rail (heard briefly from the shelter on the first peninsula S of the Fisherman's Car Park).

No hobbies seen.

And finally...

N of Ferry Mere, a heron cleared a flight path through a huge cloud of swifts (over a 1000, I should think), emerging safely on the other side. Brave....

65 Species in total

PS from about a week ago (same locale): a garden warbler (possible), my first cuckoos this season, a kingfisher perched above the main drain and a water rail nearby in cover on the river.

Dr8ton

Hobbies are back!

At least 4 over feeding over Elney Lake amongst hundreds of swifts.

One (lone) male Garganey with Ringed Plover close to shelter overlooking Ferry Mere and another single avocet on Moore Lake.

Nightingale calling (9.45am) Sat morning from low trees/bushes at western end of Drayton Lagoon bridleway (from the "beach", walk up the grass slope and just before you reach first of 2 "bridges", Nightingale was calling from the left.

Red Kite hanging effortlessly on the wind above fields by St Andrews Church Swavesey at 5pm today. Watched it for about 5 mins. Local crow started mobbing it and it lazily drifted off towards Boxworth.

17/05/2014 - Had a lovely trip to Fen Drayton Lakes today. Highlight being my first ever little egrets! There was a very knowledgeable and friendly gent in the hide who helped a group of us spot & identify the following species of interest: at least 2 x Redshank at least 2 x little ringed plover 3 x little egret He also had the most amazing photo on his camera of a reed warbler, hopefully he's reading this and will be kind enough to share it with us... I took some pleasure in spotting the following for myself: 2 x avocet with several chicks 1 x oystercatcher 4 x Egyptian goose (photo attached) 1 x buzzard (not 100% sure but identified by a process of elimination!) 1 x unidentified warbler, probably bog standard but might be of interest. Photo to follow if you can help me identify it? All in all a really good day out & I'll certainly be back soon!

Photo of aforementioned unidentified warbler if anybody can help?

Hi Dave,

Looks like Reed Warbler.

Steve.