Unfortunately, the recent stormy weather has had quite a significant impact on the reserve. Over the course of Friday night, almost 40 trees blew over in East Wood, the closest poplar wood to the visitor centre. Although they don't do the damage justice, here are some pictures that I took this morning:
Image credits: David White
As a precaution, the reserve paths west of the visitor centre were closed at 09.30 yesterday. Before the wind really got up though, local photographer Matt Walton braved the elements and went for a walk down the reserve. Here is a selection of pictures that he took:
"Little & Large", one of our resident pairs of cranes sheltering from the wind with some greylag geese:
A mixed group of mute swans and greylag geese on the river:
A female marsh harrier battling against the wind:
Image credits: Matt Walton
As most of the reserve was closed yesterday, viewing opportunities were somewhat limited. However, I made a dash up to the Washland viewpoint and found three pochards bobbing up and down in the large pool. As this is something of a reserve scarcity, I went back to the visitor centre to let everybody else know any the came back to say that there were at least six birds present. Even better!
Mercifully, the wind dropped overnight and the sun was shining this morning. This meant that we could open the reserve paths again. When I arrived, I was serenaded by two blackbirds that were singing their beautiful songs between the visitor centre and the car park. Two roe deer also ran across the entrance track in front of me.
I went down to inspect the damage in East Wood and as I walked along the hard track, a yellowhammer flew south over the wood. A song thrush was belting out its loud song from the wood itself and a reed bunting was singing near New Fen viewpoint.
On the way back to the visitor centre, I heard two more reed buntings singing their simple but pleasing song and two green woodpeckers flew over the path in front of me. Just before I headed up to the washland, I was startled by the exceedingly loud song of a Cetti's warbler near the big willow.
I stopped at the Washland viewpoint and there were plenty of ducks present. Although all of the pochards from yesterday had gone, there were at least 38 tufted ducks present along with three great crested grebes. A kingfisher was also perched up on the bank between the river and the washland pool.
I will finish with one last plug for our nestbox building event today. We have plenty of boxes available to build so please just come along, there is no need to book. We hope to see you soon.