Good morning. Although it hasn't been quite as warm as it has been over the last couple of days, there has still been plenty to see so here are some more recent sightings.
If you read my last recent sightings blog post from Friday, you will know that I heard a stone curlew calling over New Fen North during my morning walk. Well, it turns out that the plot thickens! Simon Evans, our local bird ringer was ringing in Brandon Fen at the time and he actually saw the stone curlew circling overhead. He also saw two bullfiinches at the edge of the car park and a mixed flock of "winter thrushes". This included 127 redwings and 24 fieldfares.
Also on Friday, a green woodpecker was calling in the staff car park and a water rail was feeding at the edge of the visitor centre pond. Two oystercatchers also flew over the Washland viewpoint, calling as they went.
It wasn't a bad start to the day yesterday morning so I went for a walk before work. A roe deer ran along the riverbank in front of me and two water pipits were feeding on the washland. A great white egret was feeding on the riverbank north of West Wood and a marsh tit was singing in East Wood.
I walked around New Fen North and took a selection of photographs:
As I walked back through the reserve, I was very pleased to hear my first chiffchaff of the year singing in the crack willow near the visitor centre. It certainly made me feel that spring is on its way!
There were some interesting sightings at the far end of the reserve during the morning. Two cranes were feeding north of the river and there were some interesting waders around. A jack snipe flew up with three common snipe and a green sandpiper made a brief appearance in front of Joist Fen viewpoint.
We had a very successful morning thatching and filling our new bug hotel near the visitor centre with our reserve Wildlife Explorer's Club. Here are the before and after pictures of it:
Image credits: David White
If you would like to see some more photos from the morning, please see this blog post.
A drake pochard was showing well in front of the Washland viewpoint yesterday lunchtime and a peregrine was seen from Joist Fen viewpoint. Volunteer Roy also saw a Chinese water deer near the reserve entrance.
I decided to take my telescope up to the Washland viewpoint first thing this morning and I was very pleased that I did: I found a pair of garganeys, which are our only summer migrant ducks. I picked out the female first with her blue wing patch and pale "chin". I then spotted a very smart male with his prominent eye stripe and distinctive silver "shawl". Hopefully they will stick around for a while.
I went for a walk around the reserve afterwards and heard two chiffchaffs singing near the visitor centre. Two kingfishers were also communting between the Fen pools and the visitor centre pond.
Shortly after I opened the visitor centre, a pair of bullfinches made a brief appearance in the poplars in front of the visitor centre. Presumably, it was the same pair that Simon saw at the edge of the car park on Friday.
There is plenty to see at the moment so why not come and visit? We hope to see you soon!