I was at the RSPB Fens Area Office in Swavesey on Friday morning so I didn't get a chance to get out for a walk around here. The lucky visitors that did though heard our first grasshopper warbler of the year reeling between here and East Wood and saw two otters sunning themselves on the riverbank. How lucky is that?!
Meanwhile, further down the reserve, Ali heard and saw a blackcap and a treecreeper in Botany Bay at the west end of the reserve. There were also two common buzzards over West Wood during the afternoon.
We had a bird ringing demonstration with the Lakenheath Fen Kingfishers Wildlife Explorers Club yesterday morning. While I was helping the ringers to set up, I could hear a grasshopper warbler reeling near the visitor centre. Despite the fact that it was rather chilly, there were still plenty of birds to see "up close and personal". Highlights included a marsh tit, a male reed bunting and a male brambling in breeding plumage.
Elsewhere on the reserve, at least one common tern was over the washland and a bittern flew into the pool in front of Mere Hide. A single crane was seen in flight from Joist Fen viewpoint and Roy saw a large egret, most likely to be a great egret, from New Fen viewpoint.
I went for a walk before work this morning and tried and failed to see the grasshopper warbler between the visitor centre and East Wood. I heard a bittern booming in front of New Fen viewpoint and two marsh harriers were hunting over the reedbed. A great crested grebe was croaking away in the pool and several bearded tits were pinging in the reedbed.
I then walked around Brandon Fen armed with my camera and here are a few shots that I took:
A little fungi sp. amongst the ground-ivy:
A ladybird hiding amongst some white dead-nettle:
A cinnabar moth that I liberated from the visitor centre onto a greater burdock leaf:
Image credits: David White
Its a lovely day so why not come and visit? We hope to see you soon!