Good morning. Again, its been a while since my last update as I haven't been here for the last week. As is often the case, I will start off with some lovely pictures that we have been sent over the last couple of weeks:
Some large-flowered hemp nettle, which is a bit of a local specialty...
Image credit: Keith Waterfall
...And here is a great selection of invertebrates from volunteer Richard O'Brien:
A gatekeeper:
A Roesel's bush cricket:
A scorpion fly:
An unidentified spider emerging from its web:
Image credits: Richard O'Brien
Thank you very much to Keith and Richard for sharing these pictures with us.
Since Ali's last recent sightings post, there have been several interesting sightings. A cheeky little wren managed to find itself into the visitor centre on Saturday and there were seven little egrets on the washland. There was also a grass snake basking near the pond dipping platform and a short-winged conehead (a type of bush cricket) was outside the visitor centre.
On Sunday, a barn owl was over the washland and a redshank was seen nearby. At least five bearded tits were seen near Joist Fen viewpoint and two stoats were seen on the hard track alongside Trial Wood. At least two kingfishers were also seen from New Fen viewpoint.
The Washland viewpoint was clearly the place to be yesterday. There were 96 mute swans on the washland and at least nine grey herons. By lunchtime, they were joined by nine little egrets and four common terns. There was a bit of excitement mid-afternoon when presumably the same great white egret from last week appeared on the washland north of East Wood.
As it was such a nice evening and I hadn't been out on the reserve for over a week, I came down for a walk after work last night. I saw the great white egret at the edge of the large pool in front of the Washland viewpoint. It offered a great size comparison with the seven little egrets that were feeding close to it! I also heard some cranes bugling near Joist Fen viewpoint and saw several hundred peacock butterflies between Joist Fen viewpoint and the visitor centre.
The early birders have already been out this morning and have seen the great white egret from the Washland viewpoint. There was also a greenshank and a green sandpiper at the edge of the pool along with several little egrets.
The weather is looking nice and warm this week so why not come and visit? We hope to see you soon!