Good morning. Happy New Year to you all! The last couple of days have been great here so I will pick up where I left off on Tuesday. Two lucky visitors saw two pink footed geese flying east along the river, which is a great record for here. They also photographed a total of eight cranes, which were also flying east along the river. This consisted of a group of five and a group of eight. They all appeared to be adults, which is especially interesting.
Emma worked on Wednesday so that I could have a day off (thanks Emma!) She went down the reserve and on her travels; she saw four marsh harriers and at least 150 greylag geese just west of Joist Fen viewpoint. She also saw a charm of 50 goldfinches at the far end of the reserve. There was also plenty to see on the visitor centre feeders, including a great spotted woodpecker and six long tailed tits.
I went for a walk around Brandon Fen before work yesterday morning and I found yet another species of fungus that I couldn’t identify alongside the path between the visitor centre and the car park:
Image credit: David White
I saw a great white egret and a water pipit from the Washland viewpoint. A kingfisher also whizzed along the river, calling as it went.
As the day went on, a bittern was seen from the Washland viewpoint and two barn owls were seen from Joist Fen viewpoint. Presumably the same eight cranes from Tuesday were also seen. Three were seen in flight from Mere Hide and the “other five” were seen from Joist Fen viewpoint.
I went up to the Washland viewpoint after we locked up just to try to get some more birds for my reserve year list (if you are not sure what I am talking about, please read this blog post for more details!) I saw a sparrowhawk and four shelducks. I also caught a glimpse of a possible short eared owl. This would have been a new one for my reserve year list, but sadly I didn’t see it well enough to be sure.
As I usually do on New Years Day, I got down to Joist Fen viewpoint in time for first light this morning in order to start the year in style. Here are some pictures of the eastern sky gradually getting lighter, along with a picture of the sky full of carrion crows, rooks and jackdaws as they left their overnight roost in the poplar woods just after first light:
...And, just for fun, here is a picture of me looking very cold!:
Image credits: David White
It was great to witness the spectacle of everything leaving it’s overnight roost. I saw around 20,000 corvids, at least 150 whooper swans, 13 marsh harriers and 12 little egrets. I also saw a female merlin in hot pursuit of a flock of starlings and a peregrine was perched up just west of the viewpoint.
I stopped off at the Washland viewpoint on the way back. I saw a great white egret and two shelducks. Two water pipits were also calling nearby.
I have almost run out of space but just before I finish, I just have to mention the fantastic view of a stoat that we have just had on the visitor centre veranda. At one point, it looked like it was going to run into the visitor centre door!
There is plenty to see at the moment so why not come and visit? We hope to see you soon!