Good morning. It's a bit damp this morning but we definitely do need the rain! I will start of where I left off on Thursday with some recent sightings. Local bird ringer Simon Evans was ringing in Brandon Fen and while he was out, an osprey flew south over his head just after 09.30. It was being mobbed by an adult and two juvenile hobbys. He saw a grey wagtail flying south and he also saw the following on the washland:
Grey heron: 16
Greenshank: 2
Green sandpiper: 2
Common snipe: 12
Garganey: 1
As the morning went on, two dunlins were spotted from the Washland viewpoint and a hobby was hunting overhead.
There was a pleasant surprise at lunchtime when two red kites drifted west over the visitor centre, being closely pursued by a hobby.
The reserve team were busy giving the visitor centre pond it's autumn haircut and here is the finished result (including for and after shots!):
Image credits: David White
Shortly after they finished, a water rail popped out at the edge of the vegetation and a kingfisher was perched at the back of the pool.
The osprey reappeared over Joist Fen viewpoint mid-afternoon and here are some record shots of it:
Image credits: Christine Nelson
Thank you very much to Christine for sharing these images with us.
Also at Joist Fen viewpoint, a clouded yellow butterfly was on the wing and a goat moth caterpillar was photographed near the viewpoint.
I went for a walk down to New Fen viewpoint before work yesterday morning and as I walked along the riverbank, I saw a greenshank, two green sandpipers and five common snipe on the washland. A yellow wagtail flew up from the washland and a grey wagtail flew west.
A hobby flew out of East Wood and when I got to New Fen viewpoint, a kingfisher was fishing in front of the viewpoint. A chiffchaff was singing behind the viewpoint and on the way back through the reserve, a smart comma butterfly was on the wing at the edge if East Wood.
Volunteer John Ingham went for a walk around the reserve mid-morning. He saw a water rail from Mere Hide and two bearded tits in front of New Fen viewpoint, one adult and one juvenile. Later on in the day, I nipped out onto the reserve and saw a male sparrowhawk over the Fen pools.
I went for a walk this morning before the rain started and I saw the following on the washland:
Yellow wagtail: 2
Ruff: 2
Greenshank: 1
Green sandpiper: 1
Common snipe: 5
Common sandpiper: 1
Garganey: 3
I also saw a late common whitethroat skulking in a bush along the riverbank and heard a muntjac deer barking from the edge of East Wood.
After today, the weather forecast looks OK for the rest of the week so why not come and visit? As for me, I am off on leave for a couple of weeks so until then, happy wildlife watching!