Well, it's that time of year again! As my last working day before Christmas is tomorrow, here is my last recent sightings blog post before the "big day." Typically, shortly after I blogged on Sunday, everything started to happen! Volunteer Paul went up to the Washland viewpoint and on his way to the viewpoint, he saw a chiffchaff. When he got to the viewpoint, he found a great white egret.
Meanwhile, further down the reserve, all seven cranes were seen from Joist Fen viewpoint. This is the first time that they have all been present at the same time on the reserve for a couple of months so this was a welcome sight indeed. Two bitterns were also seen from the viewpoint.
As the day went on, a water rail was showing well at the edge of the visitor centre pond. I led a very successful corvid roost walk in the afternoon. As well as seeing thousands of carrion crows, rooks and jackdaws, we also saw the leucistic wren in New Fen North (which was a first for me) and a peregrine hunting overhead. We also saw a female stonechat from the Washland viewpoint.
A water rail was showing well at the edge of the visitor centre pond on Monday. As well all went out for Christmas lunch on Tuesday, I had a four mile walk around the reserve beforehand in order to work up an appetite. I saw a shelduck from the Washland viewpoint and as I walked along the riverbank, two green sandpipers flew up.
I stopped on the riverbank overlooking New Fen North and took this photo of the excavator busily cutting reeds:
A female pintail flew over Joist Fen viewpoint and four common snipe flew up from in front of New Fen viewpoint. As I walked back through the reserve, a common buzzard flew out of East Wood.
Yesterday morning, I spooked a water rail that was feeding near the visitor centre and a female marsh harrier was hunting in front of the Washland viewpoint. A water pipit flew up near the bend in the river and a female stonechat was perched up in Brandon Fen.
A common buzzard was also perched up at the edge of the grazing marsh. When it flew off, it showed a very prominent white rump. However, I had a good enough look at it to determine that it wasn't a (much more scarce) rough legged buzzard. Now that would have been a nice surprise indeed!
I took this photograph of the visitor centre pond at dusk:
This morning, a marsh tit was singing in Brandon Fen first thing and a great white egret was showing well from the Washland viewpoint. Volunteer Roger H also saw a kingfisher from New Fen viewpoint. I also took these photos of some of the fungi that is currently growing near the visitor centre:
I just have a few notices before I leave you: Firstly, local wildlife artist and reserve volunteer Rob Dyke's wildlife art exhibition will be up in the visitor centre until Wednesday 21 December. Please read this blog post for more information. Secondly, reed cutting and burning in New Fen North is now underway so if you are planning to visit during the week between now and Christmas, please read this blog post for more information.
Thirdly and finally, the reserve will be open at all times throughout the festive period The visitor centre and toilets will be closed from lunchtime 24 December until 26 December. The visitor centre and toilets will then be open daily 9am-4pm until Tuesday 2 January. Normal opening hours of the visitor centre and toilets being open daily 9am-5pm will resume on Wednesday 3 January.
I will be back at work on Tuesday 27 December so until then, we would like to wish you all very Merry Christmas and we hope to see you on the reserve soon!