Good morning. It has been another warm week which has meant good news for our local invertebrates. Here are a few pictures that have been taken here this week:
A dor beetle:
A mint leaf beetle:
Image credits: Richard O'Brien
A migrant hawker:
Meanwhile, "back to the birds", water rails have also been rather photogenic from Mere Hide. Here is one scuttling across the pool:
Image credits: Matt Walton
Thank you very much to Richard and Matt for sharing these great pictures with us.
The great white egret is still present and has been seen most days this week. It has been very mobile though. It has ranged from the washland to right at the far end of the reserve.
There were five common buzzards circling over the visitor centre on Tuesday and a kingfisher was fishing in the visitor centre pond.
Ali and Katherine saw two cranes near Joist Fen viewpoint on Wednesday, along with seven little egrets and two green sandpipers. There were also at least two kingfishers showing well in front of New Fen viewpoint.
It was really rather warm yesterday and while we were pond dipping, we could hear a nightingale calling in the bushes nearby. Needless to say, we didn't actually see it. It was good to know that it was there nonetheless though! A juvenile whitethroat was hopping about on the visitor centre lawn and at least three jays were squabbling over who got to feed on the peanut feeder!
Those of you who read our blog regularly will know its Ali's last day today. You can read more about where she is going next in her blog post from Wednesday.
I don't want to steal her thunder but I would just like to say that it has been a pleasure working with her and sharing the reserve blog with her. I have found her reserve management posts really informative and I hope you have to. My personal favourite post was "Exposing the copy cats" from the beginning of July this year. If you haven't read it yet, it is well worth the read. It still makes me chuckle a month and a bit on!
I will finish off with a picture of a personal memento from Ali's time here:
Image credit: David White
This was a place mat that Ali made from me using something called: "pyro crafting". It sounds like quite a scary process but it created a fantastic looking result!
Good luck in your new job Ali from all of the team here at RSPB Lakenheath Fen!
Thanks David, pleasure working with you too!