Good morning. The weather hasn’t been great this week so I thought take a brief detour back to last Saturday when I lead the twentieth birthday Long Walk in glorious sunshine. Here are a couple of pictures that Emma took on the way round:
Image credits: Emma Cuthbertson
There was plenty to see on the visitor centre pond on Thursday including a kingfisher, a grey heron and a lapwing.
I had a surprise when I drove along the entrance track on Friday morning. A common buzzard was feeding on a rabbit right in the middle of the track!
I had a walk around the reserve and I saw six little egrets and a water pipit on the washland. A kingfisher whizzed along the river and a large female sparrowhawk flapped steadily over New Fen North. There were also some bramblings feeding in Trial Wood, which were nice to see.
As the day went on, a kingfisher appeared at the edge of the visitor centre pond and Emma saw a good selection of wildfowl in front of New Fen viewpoint. This included 20 mallards, 24 gadwalls, two teals and two mute swans.
Katherine went up to the Washland viewpoint during the afternoon and she saw two great white egrets and three little egrets. She also saw a kingfisher.
It was a bit damp on Saturday morning but it did clear up during the afternoon. One of our locals went down to Joist Fen viewpoint. He saw two great white egrets in flight and there were a good selection of birds of prey hunting. This included at least 12 marsh harriers, a female peregrine and a female merlin.
He also saw around 130 fieldfares north of the river and water pipit on the washland. A late migrant hawker was on the wing, which is a good record.
The day started well yesterday. Site Manager Dave was briefing the visitor centre volunteers shortly after he opened the visitor centre when a large female sparrowhawk tore past the visitor centre feeders, scattering everything in the process.
I came in for a while yesterday afternoon. A great white egret was showing well in front of the Washland viewpoint and a kingfisher flew across the large pool.
There were at least 18 marsh harriers hunting in front of Joist Fen viewpoint and two woodcocks flew over. Two little egrets flew past just as it was getting dark and a possible long eared owl flew along the river. Unfortunately, it was too dark to identify the latter species so it will have to remain a possible unless somebody sees it again.
I went for a walk around Brandon Fen this morning and a great white egret was showing well in front of the Washland viewpoint. There were plenty of finches on the moved including at least 12 lesser redpolls and at least eight siskins.
There is plenty to see at the moment so why not come and visit? We hope to see you soon!