Good afternoon. It was a lovely day on Sunday and there were plenty of people out with their cameras. I have posted five of them below and there will be more to come the next time I blog:
Kingfisher:
Image credit: Dave Rogers
Bearded tit:
Image credits: Charles Whitfield King
Stoat:
I might as well start with stoats as individuals were showing well from New Fen viewpoint and near the visitor centre. This particular individual was photographed from the wooden bridge between the visitor centre and the Washland viewpoint.
There were flocks of bearded tits near both New Fen viewpoint and Joist Fen viewpoint throughout the day on Sunday. The local kingfishers were also out in force, with a very obliging individual fishing very close to Mere Hide.
As the day went on, a whinchat was seen at New Fen viewpoint and two hobbys were perched up in West Wood. A golden plover flew over the visitor centre, calling as it went and a hobby drifted low over the visitor centre pond just before we locked up.
The weather hasn’t been great for the last couple of days but a bittern was seen at the edge of the visitor centre pond yesterday.
I went for a walk around Brandon Fen in the gloom this morning and a marsh harrier was hunting over the washland. It flushed two common snipe and three meadow pipits during it’s travels.
A female stonechat was perched up just east of the Washland viewpoint. This is the first record of this species here this autumn. At least five lesser redpolls also flew over the visitor centre.
I went for what proved to be a very productive look from the Washland viewpoint at lunchtime and I spotted the head of a great white egret poking out from amongst the vegetation. I spotted a great crested grebe fishing in the river and while I was watching that, an otter poked it’s head out of the water in the foreground! It spent some time fishing before gradually heading down river.
This was my first good view of one of these elusive creatures on the reserve since the beginning of last year, so I was really rather chuffed to see it. Suzanne and John got to see it to and as she walked back to the visitor centre, Suzanne also saw a large female sparrowhawk.
There is plenty to see at the moment so why not come and visit? We hope to see you soon!