Good afternoon. As I haven't got any new photos to share since I last blogged on Wednesday, here are a couple of photos of the washland that I took on Monday morning. I hope you like them:
Image credits: David White
I will now start off where I left off with some recent sightings from Wednesday onwards. Local birder Dave found a dunlin feeding in front of the Washland viewpoint with 10 black tailed godwits which is a good spring record for here. Local birder Steve also saw two hobbys from Joist Fen viewpoint.
In the evening, volunteer Linda had a very close encounter with an otter in front of New Fen viewpoint. Apparently, she was sitting in the shelter and at one point, it passed within inches of her. How lucky was that?!
I helped out with a bittern listen on Thursday morning so I was stationed at New Fen viewpoint from 06.55-08.30. I could hear a bittern booming roughly every six minutes from the time I got to the viewpoint until 07.56 when it flew to the edge of the pool in front of the viewpoint. It was then silent for around half an hour before taking a very long flight overhead. It eventually landed in the north west corner of the reedbed.
I saw a few other things while I was there including my first cuckoo of the year which flew from East Wood to Trial Wood shortly after I got to the viewpoint. I could hear another individual calling in West Wood and a Cetti's warbler kept singing loudly behind me.
I saw a mallard with six ducklings feeding on the pool in front of the viewpoint and noisy oystercatchers flew west overhead. A little grebe was calling in the reedbed and a roe deer was grazing near the viewpoint.
Local birder Jonny popped up to the Washland viewpoint shortly after we opened and he saw:
As the day went on, a green sandpiper was seen in New Fen North and a common snipe was showing well at the edge of the visitor centre pool.
Yesterday, two garganeys were seen from New Fen viewpoint. Our first swifts of the year were also seen from Joist Fen viewpoint.
I went up to the Washland viewpoint when I got here this morning and saw:
I walked around Brandon Fen and saw three roe deer. I heard a cuckoo calling in East Wood and saw a male linnet perched up along the riverbank.
As the day has gone on, a common tern was seen from the Washland viewpoint and a single crane was seen in flight from Joist Fen viewpoint. Volunteers Norman and Linda saw two bitterns wandering across the hard track near Mere Hide and they also saw a red kite over Joist Fen viewpoint.
If you are planning to visit the reserve, please note that there are now cattle grazing on the riverbank Public Footpath.
We hope to see you soon!