Good morning. It’s time for my last recent sightings blog post before Christmas so without any further ado, here we go:
I have attached some ringing data from last Wednesday to the bottom of this blog post. It includes a new reserve record catch of 40 bramblings, which is great news.
I have also included some images, one serous and four not quite no serious (but festive nonetheless!):
Bittern:
Image credit: Warren Etherington
Some pictures from the Wildlife Explorer’s club’s Christmas party:
Image credits: David White
It was a bit gloomy on Sunday afternoon but a water rail sneaked out into the open at the edge of the visitor centre pond and two great spotted woodpeckers were on the feeders in front of the visitor centre.
We had a successful corvid roost walk on Sunday afternoon and we saw thousands of carrion crows, rooks and jackdaws from New Fen viewpoint. Two woodcocks flew out of East Wood and a probable peregrine was perched up in West Wood.
I came in to help with the reed burning in New Fen North yesterday and before we headed out, a water rail scuttled across the visitor centre pond. Two stonechats were keeping us company in the reedbed and elsewhere on the reserve; three otters were seen from Mere Hide.
I walked down to Joist Fen viewpoint yesterday morning along the now very muddy Public Footpath. Two great white egrets were on the washland along with two water pipits. Two stonechats were feeding alongside the footpath and a female marsh harrier was hunting over New Fen North. There were around nine bearded tits feeding near Joist Fen viewpoint, which were great to see.
It was once again very gloomy this morning but I was treated to fantastic views of a female barn owl hunting over Brandon Fen shortly after I arrived. A marsh tit was showing well in Brandon Fen and two corn buntings flew west overhead, calling as they went.
One great white egret was showing well at the end of the ramp in Brandon Fen and another was feeding in front of the Washland viewpoint. A water pipit was also showing well in the same area.
So there you have it, all that remains is to include our Christmas opening times...:
The reserve will be open at all times throughout the festive period.
...and to wish you all a very Merry Christmas from all of the team at RSPB Lakenheath Fen! I will return on 27 December so I hope to see you then.