Good morning. Once the solar eclipse was over and the sun actually came out on Friday, it was a lovely day. Emma went down the reserve in the morning. She saw a great white egret and two cranes just west of Joist Fen viewpoint. She also heard two bitterns booming in the same area.
I finally saw my first butterfly of the spring mid-morning when a red admiral was flying around in the staff car park. Emma and I went up to the washland at lunchtime and we had a splendid view of the male garganey up on the washland.
In the afternoon, a stoat was dashing around at the edge of the visitor centre pond and an impressive count of 15 curlews flew over the visitor centre. Just as closed up, two shelducks flew over the visitor centre heading towards the washland.
It wasn't very nice at all yesterday morning but several visitors braved the wind and the rain nonetheless. The female ferruginous duck was in the pool just behind Joist Fen viewpoint and eight whooper swans flew west over the viewpoint.
There was also plenty on the washland. This included a high count of 278 teals, a female pintail, two shelducks and a dunlin. I dashed up there shortly after we opened and found the drake garganey cowering from the wind.
Meanwhile, further down the reserve, a bittern was seen from Joist Fen viewpoint along with four cranes, which were feeding in Humphrey’s Paddock. Two stoats were seen along the hard track and a kingfisher was seen from Mere Hide.
It was a lovely morning this morning and I went out armed with my camera. Here are some of the pictures I took:
Image credits: David White
There was plenty to see including a good count of 11 little egrets on the washland along with two shelducks. A kingfisher was fishing in the river and a very vociferous oystercatcher was flying around the large pool. As I got down to New Fen viewpoint, I could hear a chiffchaff singing in Trial Wood.
The weather forecast for the next couple of days isn't looking too bad so why not come and visit? We hope to see you soon!