Good morning. Suzanne, Emma and I have all been in early this morning to do our Common Bird Census' in the fog this morning so it's now time for some more recent sightings.
I will start off with some late news from Thursday: A peregrine was feeding over the far end of the reserve along with at least 20 stock doves. Two fieldfares flew over and there were plenty of butterflies on the wing in the sunshine including peacocks, small tortoiseshells and commas. A Chinese water deer was also feeding near New Fen viewpoint.
I didn't get the chance to post this photo that I took on Friday of the newly cut area of reeds in New Fen North:
Image credit: David White
At lunchtime, four pintails flew onto the Washland and here is a picture of them:
Image credits: Ken Clegg
I went up to the Washland viewpoint to see them and while I was up there, I found some lovely colts foot in flower near the viewpoint.
Meanwhile, further down the reserve, Norman saw a single crane in flight from Joist Fen viewpoint as well as a "ringtail" (either an adult female or immature) hen harrier. It is getting quite late in the year to see the latter species so it's great to hear that there is one still around. He also saw at least four different bittterns and at one point, three were up in the air at the same time!
On Sunday, Norman saw two great white egrets feeding north of the river. Suzanne came in for a walk around the reserve and saw a bittern from New Fen viewpoint. She also heard another bird booming from Joist Fen viewpoint.
As the day went on, an adult male peregrine flew north over East Wood and 70 fieldfares headed north over West Wood. A crane and a bittern were seen from Joist Fen viewpoint and a drake garganey was seen from the Washland viewpoint.
There was some excitement in the evening when a short eared owl was seen hunting from the Washland viewpoint from around 17.30 onwards. This is only the second record of this species on the reserve this winter period A barn owl was also hunting nearby in the sunshine.
Yesterday, two garganeys were seen from the Washland viewpoint and two cranes were seen feeding north of the river. At least four roe deer were also feeding alongside the entrance track.
Emma and I went for a walk after work and we had lovely views of a barn owl hunting from the Washland viewpoint. Two Cetti's warblers were singing near the viewpoint and one even popped out into the open which was very considerate of it!
As we walked along the riverbank, I heard a stonechat singing north of the river and we eventually spotted the short eared owl hunting over the washland north of East Wood. We watched it for a couple of minutes before it headed off east. Two garganeys were feeding on the washland pool north of East Wood and a common buzzard was hunting over New Fen North, the first area of reedbed.
As I said above, it was pretty chilly for our surveys this morning but we found these cowslips that were flowering alongside the entrance track:
We could hear a bittern booming in the distance and I am pretty sure that I heard a blackcap singing alongside the entrance track. A muntjac deer was feeding near the main road and three roe deer ran along the riverbank as we walked around the grazing marsh in Brandon Fen.
There is plenty to see at the moment so why not come and visit? We hope to see you soon!