Good morning. It’s early May so there is currently a lot going on out on the reserve. I will start off with some pictures that have been taken on the reserve recently:
Common lizard:
Image credit: Lynne Nunn
White dead-nettle:
Lady’s smock in the Fen pools:
Image credit: David White
Thank you very much to Lynne for sharing this picture with us.
I will start off where I left off with some sightings on Monday. Volunteer Paul Holness saw a long bittern flight from the Washland viewpoint. Four late bramblings were seen in Trial Wood and I found a firecrest in one of the Scots pines in front of the visitor centre. Although it didn’t stay for long, I did manage to see it out in the open for a couple of seconds which was fantastic.
I saw a roe deer alongside the entrance track on Tuesday morning and I had a walk around Brandon Fen before walk. The nightingale was singing by the river bridge and a female blackcap was feeding out in the open on the riverbank.
As the day went on, two cranes were seen from Joist Fen viewpoint. At least 20 hobbys were also feeding over the reserve.
I came down for a walk in the evening to listen for grasshopper warblers. I heard at least three between the visitor centre and East Wood. Another was reeling just east of Joist Fen viewpoint. I also finally saw my first reed warbler of the year, which was singing alongside West Wood.
As it was such a lovely day on Wednesday, I came in on my day off to get my annual hobby fix. As I walked down the riverbank, there were plenty of butterflies on the wing including an orange tip and several peacocks.
I spent a couple of hours down at Joist Fen viewpoint and I counted up to 20 hobbys in the air at once west of the viewpoint. A single crane was also flying around and I saw it several times while I was up there. As I walked back through the reserve, there were two common buzzards over Trial Wood and another four hobbys over New Fen North.
I covered most of the sightings from yesterday morning in my blog post which can be found here. As the day went on, two garganeys were seen from New Fen viewpoint and a common sandpiper was seen on the washland.
I went for a walk before work this morning and heard a garden warbler singing behind New Fen viewpoint. Cuckoos were calling in both East Wood and Trial Wood. As I walked back through the reserve, I saw my first common stretch-spider of the year alongside East Wood.
There is plenty to see at the moment so why not come and visit? We hope to see you soon!