I will begin this morning with two record shots of the purple heron from Tuesday evening. Many thanks to Ian Goodall for sending them over:
Photo credit: Ian Goodall
The bird was seen again on Wednesday evening at around 6.30pm. It was seen in flight between Joist Fen viewpoint and the railway line in a roughly south easterly direction.
As usual, there has been plenty going on here this week. The ring ouzel and wheatear in the Brandon Fen family trail have stuck around and were both still present yesterday afternoon. Eight bar tailed godwits flew over the same area on Monday which was a great record. A male whinchat was also photographed north of the first area of reedbed on Monday evening.
I walked down to Botany Bay at the west end of the reserve on Tuesday evening. Both chiffchaffs and willow warblers were singing in small numbers and a common buzzard flew over. A cuckoo was calling nearby and a bittern was booming from the reedbeds.
It was a lovely day on Wednesday and there was plenty to see from New Fen viewpoint. A grass snake swam across the pool and a pike was also seen in the pool lurking around threatingly.
Meanwhile, hobby numbers were picking up gradually throughout the day and the peak count was 18 birds. Hopefully numbers will continue to pick up as I am leading a hobby walk on Sunday. There are still places available so if you would like to book on, just click the link above. Some of you may know that on May 4 2011 we counted at least 65 over the reserve at the same time!
We did a bittern listen yesterday morning and although it was cold, there was plenty going on. We counted at least four booming males which was a pretty good result. Several of us were based in and around New Fen viewpoint and there was plenty going on. A family of coots with three young were pottering around on the pool and two cuckoos flew over the reedbed.
A barn owl was over the washland and the ring ouzel was showing itself on and off in Brandon Fen. A short eared owl was seen from Joist Fen viewpoint in the evening and a yellow wagtail flew over.
I went for a little walk in the warm sunshine this morning and the “New Fen North” bittern was booming very well. A grasshopper warbler was reeling well at the edge of Trial Wood. I also got a rubbish picture of a roe deer skulking about in East Wood. Its mainly a question of whether you can actually spot it:
The early birders came back reporting two nightingales singing by the road bridge and a drake garganey on the washland. That pesky purple heron was also seen in flight over New Fen North (the first area of reedbed) at around 8am. There is plenty to see at the moment so we hope to see you soon.