Good morning. Now that I am back at work, I better at least try to get back into at least some kind of routine. I will therefore blog recent sightings today and then on Sunday.
The weather wasn’t exactly ideal yesterday and it got windier as the day went on. However, I still braved the Washland viewpoint to try to add some gulls to my list. I was not disappointed as there was at least one adult Caspian gull present along with at least six yellow legged gulls.
As the day went on, a merlin flashed across the car park and there were at least eight marsh harriers hunting in front of Joist Fen viewpoint. A peregrine was also seen in the same area.
I was down here again early this morning with father and we headed down to New Fen viewpoint. The corvid roost was again very spectacular with thousands of carrion crows, rooks and jackdaws leaving their overnight roost in West Wood, the furthest poplar plantation.
We could see some whooper swans leaving their roost west of Joist Fen viewpoint through the gap in the trees. We saw at least 40 but it sounded like there were more.
We walked back along the riverbank and there were three great crested grebes in front of the Washland viewpoint. A barn owl was hunting north of the river and a female marsh harrier was hunting over the large washland pool. A linnet flew south over the reserve and there was a lovely flock of long tailed tits behind the visitor centre.
That bought my reserve year list up to a very respectable total of 50 species. Not bad at all for 9.30am on the 2 January!
We had a surprise when the cleaners came in: a small tortoiseshell butterfly flutter out of its warm and cozy winter roosting spot! Here it is:
Image credit: David White
We put it back somewhere warm so hopefully it will go back to sleep until spring!
There is plenty to see at the moment so why not come and visit? We hope to see you soon!