Good morning. Apologies for the lack of updates this week, the Race for Wildlife took up all of my time over the weekend and as a team we have been recovering from the event since!
I will start where I left off on Friday and volunteer Denise had a walk around the reserve. She photographed this interesting looking beetle, which caused a bit of a stir when she showed it to us in the office:
We had not encountered this species before so I posted it on the RSPB Suffolk Facebook page and the general consensus was that it was Carabus granulatus. This was confirmed by the Suffolk Naturalists Societies’ beetle recorder as being a scarce record for Suffolk, apart from in the Little Ouse Valley.
Denise also photographed this grass snake, which was hiding at the edge of the path to Mere Hide:
Image credits: Denise Chappell
Meanwhile, elsewhere on the reserve, at least five stonechats were showing around New Fen North, the first area of reedbed. Two swallows also flew over Joist Fen viewpoint.
That evening, a barn owl was showing from the Washland viewpoint and a bittern was seen from New Fen viewpoint.
On Saturday morning, the great white egret was showing well in front of the Washland viewpoint along with two stonechats. We spent most of the day putting signs up for the Race for Wildlife, but just before we set off, four swallows flew east over the visitor centre.
On our travels around the reserve, we flushed a common buzzard out of the area behind Mere Hide and at least 12 skylarks were feeding in the same area. There were also plenty of marsh harriers hunting west of Joist Fen viewpoint. This included a male and at least three females.
The morning of the Race for Wildlife finally came on Sunday and I flushed a bittern from the Washland viewpoint shortly after first light. I think I woke it up! A yellowhammer flew over during our briefing and a lesser spotted woodpecker called once in the poplars between the visitor centre and the car park.
It was really rather foggy yesterday morning when I went out for a walk:
Image credit: David White
The great white egret was showing well on the washland and volunteer Pete took a picture of it:
Image credit: Pete Dolton
A brambling was feeding behind the visitor centre and a grey wagtail was feeding at the edge of the visitor centre pond.
We had a meeting that involved a trip out on the reserve yesterday and we saw a female peregrine over New Fen viewpoint. We also saw a bittern from Joist Fen viewpoint and heard some bearded tits.
A soggy song thrush was singing in the staff car park when I arrived this morning and the great white egret was showing well in front of the Washland viewpoint. A female marsh harrier was also hunting nearby.
Emma has just been out to bring in some of the signs from the Race for Wildlife and she saw a weasel gambolling around behind Mere Hide.
There is plenty to see at the moment so why not come and visit? We hope to see you soon!