Hello there and Happy Valentine’s Day to you all. Here are some recent sightings from Saturday onwards:
On Saturday morning, two marsh harriers were hunting over Brandon Fen and around half a dozen redpolls were feeding in the alders behind the visitor centre. A great white egret was also showing well from the Washland viewpoint.
We spent a very fun morning den building with the reserve Wildlife Explorer’s Club and here is the very camouflaged den that they built:
Image credit: David White
Although it was really rather wet on Sunday morning, these lovely images of a stonechat were taken on the reserve:
Image credits: Mark Lynyham
Thank you very much to Mark for sharing these lovely images with us.
A marsh tit was on the feeders behind the visitor centre and Site Manager Dave saw a pair of great crested grebes near Joist Fen viewpoint.
On Tuesday, Suzanne saw a sparrowhawk around Brandon Fen. A bittern was seen from Joist Fen viewpoint and at least two marsh harriers were hunting in the same area. Two barn owls were also hunting near the Washland viewpoint during the afternoon.
Yesterday, Suzanne walked around Brandon Fen in the sunshine and she saw two buzzards perched up at the edge of the car park. She also saw a green woodpecker and two mistle thrushes on her travels.
Suzanne and Dave saw two cranes north of the river near Joist Fen viewpoint yesterday afternoon. Hopefully, they will stick around and nest on the reserve this year.
I got in early this morning and I could hear good numbers of Bewick’s swans calling near the Washland viewpoint. I therefore rushed up there and counted a minimum of 38 which is a very high count for here. At least 42 whooper swans were also present.
A female marsh harrier was hunting just west of the viewpoint and a great white egret flew up from the riverbank. A kingfisher flew along the river and a flock of around 60 lapwings were wheeling around overhead. I also heard some rustling near the viewpoint, which was most likely to be an otter. However, I wasn’t lucky enough to see it so it could have been anything!
As the day has gone on, a common snipe has been showing well at the edge of the visitor centre pond. A water rail was skulking near the photography station mid-morning and four common buzzards were circling over New Fen viewpoint just before Midday. Two roe deer have also been seen along the entrance track.
If you are planning to visit the reserve, the Public Footpath along the riverbank is likely to be slippery in places and wellies are now moreorless essential for negotiating this path at present.
We hope to see you soon!