Happy New Year to you all! As some of you will know, each year, we have a staff and volunteer year list challenge. The idea is very simple: to see as many species on the reserve in a calendar year as possible. The results of "last year's" competition are as follows:

  1. David White, Visitor Experience Officer: 133
  2. Katherine Puttick, Warden: 125
  3. Emma Cuthbertson, Warden: 119
  4. Suzanne Harwood, Administrator: 118
  5. Dave Rogers, Site Manager: 112
  6. John Wightman, Visitor Centre Volunteer: 102

I won! Hooray! The total amount of species seen on the reserve by participating staff and volunteer over the course of the year was 138 species and I have attached the full list below.

I am very pleased to have won, but I can't help but kick myself that I didn't see the following species that at least one of the other participants did:

The majority of these species were seen while I was on holiday. Oh well, there is always 2016...

...And on that note, I was down at Joist Fen viewpoint at first light this morning to kick start my 2016 reserve year list. That, however, is another story which I will tell in my first recent sightings blog post of 2016 that will follow shortly after I publish this post.

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year from all of the team at RSPB Lakenheath Fen. Happy wildlife watching and we hope to see you on the reserve soon. 

Bird list 2015 final.xlsx