Good morning. Without any further ado, I will start of where I left off on Thursday. Simon Evans, our local bird ringer had another successful ringing session in Brandon Fen. I have attached his ringing data to this blog post.
One of our locals saw three cranes from Joist Fen viewpoint during the morning and Suzanne saw a common buzzard on the entrance track. As the day went on, a bittern and a kingfisher were seen from Joist Fen viewpoint.
The reserve headed down the reserve later on in the day. They saw three great white egrets and 13 little egrets flying to roost north of the river. They also saw a barn owl hunting neat Joist Fen viewpoint.
I walked down to Joist Fen viewpoint before work on Friday and as I walked along the riverbank, a water pipit flew over and a kingfisher dashed across the river. When I got to New Fen North, the first area of reedbed, a female merlin dashed low over the reedbed before disappearing over West Wood.
A very pale kestrel was perched up north of the river and I flushed a common buzzard from the riverbank. A barn owl was also hunting north of the river near Joist Fen viewpoint.
As I walked back through the reserve, a brambling was singing in East Wood and a small group of lesser redpolls flew over.
A grey wagtail appeared at the edge of the visitor centre pond shortly after we opened and a great white egret was seen from the Washland viewpoint along with two water pipits. A bittern was seen from Joist Fen viewpoint later on in the day.
Emma and I went down to Joist Fen viewpoint in the afternoon and we saw a Chinese water deer on the riverbank. A great white egret flew along the river and a barn owl was hunting north of the river.
The weekend was really rather windy and wet so I will now jump to yesterday for some more sightings! Wardens Katherine and Emma did the WeBs count yesterday morning and saw a female merlin over the far end of the reserve.
Suzanne walked around Brandon Fen at lunchtime and saw a common buzzard hunting. She also saw eight long tailed tits and a goldcrest.
I returned in the afternoon and took this photograph of the visitor centre pond looking quite stormy:
Image credit: David White
Volunteer John went up to the Washland viewpoint and saw two dunlins in flight over the large pool. I popped up there shortly after. I saw a great white egret and a female barn owl which was rather nice.
It was a bit gloomy this morning during my morning walk but a water rail was skulking at the edge of the visitor centre pond and a barn owl was hunting north of East Wood.
There is plenty to see at the moment so why not come and visit? We hope to see you soon!