Good afternoon. Apologies for the lack of updates recently, I have been off and the reserve team have been very busy with reserve management work.
I will start off where I left off on a very spring like 17 February with some more recent sightings. It was so spring like in fact, that a peacock butterfly was on the wing behind the visitor centre!
There was plenty to see over the course of the day. Volunteer Steve Gill had two views of merlins (or a merlin) on the reserve. Regular visitor Steve H saw five redshanks on the washland and a flock of 600 lapwings overhead. He also heard a little owl calling near the visitor centre which is a good record for here.
I went up to the Washland viewpoint at dusk and saw two barn owls hunting. A female peregrine was hunting overhead and a woodcock flew over the visitor centre.
Fast forward to Tuesday 21 February and there was some excitement when the 11 white fronted geese that have been hanging around the area intermittently were spotted feeding on the riverbank near Joist Fen viewpoint. Here is a picture of them:
Image credit: Dave Rogers
Everybody (apart from me as I was in Lancashire at the time!) were treated to great views of them.
I returned from my trip up north on Wednesday lunchtime and promptly dashed down to look for the white fronted geese. Unfortunately, I didn't see them. However, I saw a bittern from Joist Fen viewpoint and heard a green woodpecker calling in West Wood.
I came in to help out with the work party on Thursday and as I got in nice and early, I decided to have another go at trying to see the white fronted geese. On the way down, a great white egret was showing well from the Washland viewpoint along with a curlew and four redshanks.
As I walked along the riverbank, eight golden plovers flew west overhead and I spotted the white fronted geese distantly in the river ahead of me. However, they were disturbed by a loud noise and flew off before I got a chance to get my telescope onto them. How frustrating! I did manage to get better views of a bittern though, which flew across the reedbed towards Mere Hide.
As the day went on, we saw three cranes in the grazing marsh behind Mere Hide which eventually flew south of the railway line. Volunteer Phil also took this photograph of me showing off my willow trimming handy work:
Image credit: Phil Hammond
I returned to work for a day on Tuesday and as I drove in, I spotted a roe deer at the edge of the entrance track. I went up to the Washland viewpoint and saw a great white egret. As I walked around Brandon Fen, a male stonechat was showing well on the riverbank and a chiffchaff was calling nearby.
I also took a few photographs while I was out and about that I hope you like:
Image credits: David White
Yesterday, two curlews flew over Brandon Fen and a pair of mistle thrushes were collecting nesting material alongside the entrance track.
I went up to the Washland viewpoint first thing this morning and saw the following:
There was plenty of activity in Brandon Fen with a pair of great spotted woodpeckers chasing each other around. One started drumming so it was obviously a male! I also saw a treecreeper, which is a reserve year tick for me so I was very chuffed with that! A jay flew across the path in front of me and a male stonechat was perched up at the edge of the grazing marsh.
The sun has come out this afternoon and Site Manager Dave saw a male marsh harrier displaying over the far end of the reserve. Meanwhile, closer to the visitor centre, at least four lapwings were displaying south of the railway line near the visitor centre which was lovely to see.
Just before I go, I have space to mention that we have put the prices up of the catering items in the visitor centre slightly. This is to help to standardize pricing across the RSPB.
There is plenty to see at the moment so why not come and visit? We hope to see you soon!