Good afternoon. We have had an interesting couple of days here at Lakenheath Fen. Shortly after I finished blogging on Sunday, a crossbill flew over visitor centre and a great white egret was photographed in front of the Washland viewpoint.
Katherine, one of our Wardens, went up to the Washland viewpoint on Monday. She saw a great white egret and nine common snipe.
Yesterday turned out to be something of an unforgettable day here. I went up to the Washland viewpoint before work and saw a great white egret feeding in the large pool. There were also at least 80 sand martins feeding overhead.
The day began to take a strange turn at around 9.30am when I went to get my walking shoes out of my car. I could hear a very distinctive meowing sound coming from Katherine’s car. I went and got here and we were really rather surprised to find this little chap (not me obviously!) sheltering underneath her car:
Image credits: Suzanne Harwood
It unfortunately seemed that somebody had dumped it there, as it was very hungry and initially quite distressed. We took it into the office and we had a very eventful morning as it explored the office and got to know us all in the process. Fortunately, this tale had a happy ending and we are very grateful to PACT animal sanctuary for taking little “Trouble” as we christened him in for us. Hopefully he will find a new home soon!
Anyhow, after all of that excitement. We had a Brecks themed family event and took a walk around Brandon Fen. We saw a juvenile green woodpecker and two roe deer. We also saw a migrant hawker.
Meanwhile, further down the reserve, six yellow wagtails were seen in New Fen North, the first area of reedbed. A barn owl was hunting over the washland and a muntjac deer was barking in East Wood.
I had a walk around Brandon Fen this morning and a smart male marsh harrier was hunting over the washland. A green sandpiper flew into the grazing marsh and a yellow wagtail flew east overhead. A kingfisher was fishing in the river and a little egret was feeding nearby.
I also saw a slightly bizarre sight in front of the Washland viewpoint: A juvenile hobby was mobbing a common tern. Quite why it was doing it is anybody’s guess as not only was the common tern larger than the hobby, hobbys are not really known for eating fish. How bizarre!
When I got back to the visitor centre, a coal tit was calling in front of the visitor centre and a juvenile great spotted woodpecker was on the feeders behind the visitor centre.
There is plenty to see at the moment so why not come and visit? We hope to see you soon!