Good morning. It is pretty chilly this morning so I will begin with some photos that were taken in more hospitable conditions.
A bittern from Mere Hide on 6 April:
Image credits: Ian Saggers
Thank you very much to Ian for sharing this great picture with us.
A couple of mine from 17 April:
Image credits: David White
There were plenty of cuckoos around on Saturday and four were seen together at one point. A short eared owl was over the washland and a bittern was seen from Mere Hide. I went up to the Washland viewpoint after lunch and was pleased to find a holly blue butterfly on the wing.
As the day went on, three cranes were seen from Joist Fen viewpoint and three garganeys were seen on the washland north of New Fen north. At least four common terns were also feeding over the washland.
It was a pleasant start to the day on Sunday and I went for a walk before work. I saw my first cuckoo of the year from the Washland viewpoint. A bittern flew across the large washland pool and two common sandpipers were feeding nearby.
As I walked along the riverbank, a crane flew high over East Wood before disappearing north east towards Hockwold. I stopped briefly at New Fen viewpoint and heard a bittern booming. There were also at least three marsh harriers hunting nearby.
As the day went on, our first garden warbler of the year was heard near the visitor centre. Two greenshanks flew east along the river and three whimbrels flew south overhead.
In the afternoon, a cuckoo was being mobbed by two bramblings in Trial Wood. A hobby was hunting over the car park and a smart male brambling was showing well behind the visitor centre.
Site Manager Dave was out and about on the reserve yesterday and he saw three swifts over the far end of the reserve. Suzanne walked around Brandon Fen yesterday lunchtime and heard a grasshopper warbler. She also saw a marsh harrier hunting over the grazing marsh.
Suzanne and I did our forth Common Bird Census (CBC) around Brandon Fen this morning and it was really rather cold. We saw three roe deer and heard a cuckoo. There was also a grasshopper warbler reeling and the reserve was alive with the sound of Cetti’s warblers.
I just have enough space to give you an update on out visitor centre nestbox. A turf war is ongoing between a pair of great tits and blue tits and somebody has now laid three eggs inside it. However, both sets of birds are still coming in and out so the situation is far from clear. Hopefully the eggs will be brooded by somebody soon!
Also, one of the Highland cows in Brandon Fen calved yesterday evening. Mother and calf are both doing well and they can be seen in the grazing marsh near the car park.
There is plenty to see at the moment so why not come and visit? We hope to see you soon!