We had the first half of our "talon spotting" event yesterday and there were lots of things to see which thankfully included some birds of prey. Before I tell you about what the team and I saw, here are a few fantastic photos that local photographer Tim James took on the reserve yesterday:
A hovering common tern:
An "incoming" greylag goose:
A sedge warbler out in the open:
A drinker moth caterpillar:
A female St Marks Fly:
Image credits: Tim James
Thank you very much to Tim for sharing these.
As for me, I started at the Washland viewpoint and despite the fact that it was really rather chilly, there was plenty to see. A group of five common terns passed rapidly east and a kingfisher flashed across the pool. A male marsh harrier floated past several times and two common buzzards were circling high over the visitor centre.
We could hear a male cuckoo calling in the big willow behind the visitor centre and we eventually got a great view of it through the telescope. A lone drake garganey was asleep at the back of the pool but thankfully, a pair eventually appeared from the vegetation and showed well for quite some time.
After lunch, I headed down to New Fen viewpoint and moreorless as soon as I got there, a bittern perched up on the reeds at the edge of the pool before flying down the channel. A single bearded tit flitted across the reedbed and a kingfisher shot out of East Wood towards the reedbed.
There were two hobbys circling around over the reedbed on and off and two cuckoos flew from East Wood to Trial Wood. Three marsh harriers put in a brief appearance and both a blackcap and a garden warbler were singing in East Wood behind the viewpoint.
It sounded like the place to be was Joist Fen viewpoint though as there were at least eight marsh harriers hunting over the reedbed. Hobby numbers kept rising steadily over the course of the day until Katherine counted at least 15 in the air at once. They were joined by at least 30 swifts which must have been a great sight to see.
Elsewhere on the reserve, a weasel was seen near the visitor centre and there were plenty of hairy dragonflies on the wing.
We will be doing the same thing again today so why not come and visit? Its a lovely, warm day so hopefully that will tempt plenty of birds of preys and bitterns to get up and fly around. We hope to see you soon!