Good morning. We have had a couple of nice days here so I will continue straight on with some more recent sightings. I popped up to Washland viewpoint at lunchtime on Friday and I saw the following:
Grey heron: 1
Redshank: 2
Black headed gull: 35
Meanwhile, further down the reserve, a stoat was seen alongside Trial Wood and a late peacock butterfly was seen alongside East Wood. A red kite flew east over the visitor centre mid-afternoon and a barn owl was hunting behind the visitor centre shortly before dusk fell.
I was down at Joist Fen viewpoint until it got dark and I saw two woodcocks at dusk. I also took this photo of the sunset over the far end of the reserve:
It was really rather misty first thing yesterday morning and here is the "view" from the Washland viewpoint:
Image credits: David White
I could just about make out a great white egret through the mist and two water pipits flew up just east of the viewpoint. Two stonechats were showing well on the riverbank near Wilton Bridge and two roe deer were skulking in Brandon Fen.
As the morning went on, a kingfisher and a water rail were feeding in the visitor centre pond. I went up to the Washland viewpoint at lunchtime and I saw the following:
Caspian gull: 1 adult
Herring gull: 2 adults
Lesser black backed gull: 8
Teal: 40
Peacock butterfly: 1
Meanwhile, further down the reserve, volunteer Roy saw a bittern near Mere Hide and four common buzzards from Joist Fen viewpoint. A small flock of bearded tits were also feeding in front of the viewpoint.
There was an unseasonal report of a great spotted woodpecker drumming in Trial Wood. A firecrest was also reported in the car park during the afternoon and I saw two bitterns flying to roost at Joist Fen viewpoint shortly before darkness fell.
I found presumably the same firecrest from yesterday calling in the bushes in front of the viewpoint shortly after I arrived this morning. A great white egret was showing well from the Washland viewpoint and a great crested grebe was feeding in the river just east of the viewpoint.
As I walked down from the riverbank towards New Fen viewpoint, a muntjac deer was skulking at the edge of East Wood and I had a very close encounter with a goldcrest that was feeding near New Fen viewpoint. When I got to the viewpoint, two marsh harriers were hunting over the reedbed including one of this year's youngsters.
I had a shock as I walked along the hard track back through the reserve alongside the railway line: a male sparrowhawk suddenly appeared right in front of me before snatching a small bird from its perch in East Wood. It glided away through the wood with its prey, much to the consternation of the other small birds feeding in the wood at the time!
I took a brief detour down to the car park where I located a mixed flock of passerines. This included a mistle thrush, a coal tit, several goldcrests and a gang of long tailed tits.
There is plenty to see at the moment so why not come and visit? We hope to see you soon!