Good morning. It has been really rather chilly over the last couple of days! Before I launch into some more recent sightings, I thought I would post a picture of the new addition to the reserve infrastructure that was built by the volunteer work party on Thursday:
It's a new bug hotel and it has been built very close to the visitor centre. The idea is that the RSPB Lakenheath Fen Kingfisher's Wildlife Explorers Club are not only going to fill it with vegetation, they are also going to thatch the roof over the next couple of months!
It was a misty start to the day on Friday morning and here is a picture of the mist hanging over the washland:
I saw one roe deer on the entrance track and two more alongside East Wood. A goldcrest was showing very well near New Fen viewpoint and when I got to the western edge of New Fen North, the first area of reedbed, I took this photo:
The highlight of the morning came when volunteers Roy and Roger spotted a common snipe that was feeding stealthily at the edge of the visitor centre pond.
I went up to the Washland viewpoint at lunchtime and a male stonechat was showing well. A Cetti's warbler was skulking in the vegetation nearby and 28 teals were feeding in the river.
As the afternoon went on, two barn owls were hunting near the car park. A female merlin was also seen over the far end of the reserve.
Yesterday morning, I went down to Mere Hide before work and had fantastic views of at least three bearded tits that were feeding alongside the boardwalk on the approach to the hide. On the way back through the reserve, I saw two sparrowhawks and a common buzzard over West Wood, the furthest poplar wood.
Simon was ringing in Brandon Fen and while he was out and about, three white fronted geese flew north west overhead and a redshank flew down the river.
As the morning went on, five white fronted geese were seen on the river near Joist Fen viewpoint and three great white egrets were seen from Joist Fen viewpoint. There were also good numbers of swans feeding north of the river, including 10 whooper swans and eight Bewick's swans.
At lunchtime, there were at least three Caspian gulls showing well from the Washland viewpoint and at least three lesser redpolls were feeding in the alders behind the visitor centre.
As the afternoon went on, a first winter Mediterranean gull was found on the ice in front of the Washland viewpoint which is a very good record for here. Volunteer Roy also saw the leucistic wren near New Fen viewpoint.
Myself, volunteer Norman and his wife were down at Joist Fen viewpoint yesterday afternoon and we saw:
A male hen harrier was also seen over the far end of the reserve. The wild swan flock north of the river increased drastically as by dusk, there were 146 whooper swans and two Bewick's swans.
It was the coldest morning that I have experienced here for quite some time this morning. On the way in, I saw four roe deer alongside the entrance track and a further four along the riverbank. I saw a water pipit on the Washland north of East Wood and a great white egret flew east along the river.
I took a few photos of the frosty morning while I was out and about:
Image credits: David White
As I walked back along the riverbank, a reed bunting was singing on the washland and there were around 60 lapwings on the ice near the Washland viewpoint. At one point, they were scattered by an adult great black backed gull which was entertaining to watch.
Shortly after we opened up the visitor centre, a water rail appeared at the edge of the visitor centre pond and a great spotted woodpecker was drumming in the staff car park.
There is plenty to see at the moment so why not come and visit? We hope to see you soon!
We only tend to get great black backed gulls here when it's icy. That is the second record this year!