Good afternoon. If you read my blog post from Monday, then you will know that it was really rather foggy that morning. Local photographed Matt Walton photographed this bizarre looking bird along the interior path that runs through New Fen North near New Fen viewpoint:
Image credits; Matt Walton
Thank you very much to Matt for sharing these extraordinary images with us. If you are thinking that this bird looks vaguely familiar, it's because it's Britain's most common bird, the wren! It's leucistic, which means that it it lacks melanin pigments in its feathers. Please read this article on the BTO website for a more in depth explanation of this condition.
Once the fog burnt off on Monday, a siskin flew over the visitor centre. I went up to the Washland viewpoint at lunchtime and saw eight little egrets. A flock of nine bearded tits flew over the viewpoint before landing in the reeds at the base of the ramp up to the viewpoint and three marsh harriers were hunting overhead.
A coal tit was calling in front of the visitor centre and Emma saw a sparrowhawk over Brandon Fen. Yesterday, volunteer Catherine saw two stonechats perched up on the riverbank in Brandon Fen.
I went for a walk in the sunshine this morning and there were plenty of bearded tits around. I saw one on the washland, at least five near New Fen North and one in the reeds near the visitor centre. I saw a kingfisher from New Fen viewpoint and two kestrels were hunting over the reedbed.
There was also a small passage of thrushes moving through. This included a mistle thrush, at least 20 song thrushes and at least 15 redwings. A siskin also flew over New fen viewpoint, calling as it went. I also photographed this four-spotted orb weaver in its web alongside East Wood:
Image credit: David White
As the day has gone on, a bittern was seen from Mere Hide and a grey wagtail flew over the visitor centre. At lunchtime, there were eight little egrets showing in front of the Washland viewpoint and a migrant hawker was on the wing near the viewpoint.
There is plenty to see at the moment so why not come and visit? We hope to see you soon!