Good morning. Due to work commitments, this will be my last recent sightings blog post until the beginning of next week so here we go again.
This post will follow a similar format to Tuesday’s post, beginning with a ringing report followed by some recent sightings and pictures.
I have attached local ringer Simon Evan’s latest ringing report from Brandon Fen and here is an excerpt from his report. I hope you find it interesting:
“A good ringing workshop session today with most of our target species putting in an appearance and allowing for some great comparative views. Good numbers of new birds just three days after the last session, as forecast weather conditions dictate, clearly illustrating the passage of birds through the site, as well as its importance to the local tit population! Good to see a few blue tits returning, ringed around five or six years ago.
Interesting to note a number of the goldfinches with high fat scores and weights indicating their intent to travel. Our longest distance recovery for the reserve to date is from the Highlands of Scotland.
Of the controls (birds that had been ringed elsewhere previously), two of the siskins were from High Lodge and one from Brandon. The blue tit was from Thetford. The lesser redpoll rings I don't recognise, so we'll have to wait to hear about them.”
A golden plover flew over the Washland viewpoint on Tuesday afternoon and as Katherine mentioned in her habitat management blog post from yesterday, there were two great white egrets down in Botany Bay at the far end of the reserve. It’s good to know that there are definitely at least two around!
It was really rather damp yesterday morning but I popped up to the Washland viewpoint before work nonetheless. A great white egret was present along with 12 little egrets. A kingfisher also flew along the river. Later on in the day, Suzanne saw two stonechats in Brandon Fen.
I went for a walk down to New Fen viewpoint before work this morning and a great white egret was showing well in front of the Washland viewpoint. A grey wagtail over the viewpoint itself and six lesser redpolls were showing well in East Wood.
I walked back via Rightup Drove, which is the path that runs behind New Fen viewpoint through East Wood. Several bramblings were feeding in the poplars and there were plenty of roe deer and otter footprints alongside the path.
I got back early so I walked around part of Brandon Fen, which is looking very autumnal at the moment:
Image credits: David White
While I was out, a skylark flew over and I spooked a green woodpecker. Shortly after I got back to the visitor centre, a very late four spotted orb weaver descended down its web in front of the visitor centre which was nice to see.
We hope to see you soon!