The reserve in beautiful pictures - 2 October 2020

Hello all,

In my blogs there's normally more text than images, but during the past week or so we've been spoilt for choice by visitors that have kindly sent us in their images from their visits here at RSPB Lakenheath Fen, so I thought i'd make this blog all about those wonderful images. To start with, although the variety of insects still out during autumn is a bit limited, Chris Robinson- a regular visitor, got this stunning image of a migrant hawker taking a rest in the sun. Other dragonflies to look for at the moment include southern hawker, willow emerald damselfly, ruddy darter and common darter, which have been seen in good numbers on milder days in the past week.

 Photo credit: A stunning male Migrant hawker, photographed in the Car Park by Chris Robinson.

On the mammal scene, we have had sightings of muntjac deer, stoat and this beautiful otter, seen yesterday (1 October), by Roger Collorick from New Fen Viewpoint. The wet weather isn't a problem if you're wet anyway! Most of our otter sightings come out of New Fen, or the Visitor Centre pond (especially the latter in winter), though they are often tricky to see:



 Photo credit: Both images taken by Roger Collorick from New Fen Viewpoint on October 1.

In terms of birds, we have had a superb week with two black terns on 30 September and 1 October, which haven't been seen so far today. They are both juveniles so a lighter smoky grey compared to the black adults, but they delighted visitors as they dipped and dived over the Washland hunting for fish. Also on the Washland we've had four pintail (with one drake) on 1 October, two great white egret (1 October) and on most days one or two marsh harrier, lots of shoveler, a single kingfisher, and around ten late swallows (likely to be on migration, and stopping for a quick refuel like the black terns). Our first redwing of the autumn were seen gathering in the tops of the alder trees by the Visitor Centre on 27 September, and it's likely we'll see more in the week to come along with the first fieldfare soon too. I was sitting in the Visitor Centre on the morning of 26 September, when myself and a volunteer heard the distinctive and beautiful honking of whooper swans- and a count that day produced six, and twelve were spotted in the morning of the next day- 27 September- so the whoopers are most certainly back. Numbers will build now and by Christmas we should have hundreds using the Washland as a roost site.

One of our wardens, Katherine, set a moth trap here on the night of 28 September and caught a variety of autumn moths such as autumnal rustic, red-line quaker, mallow and four pale-lemon sallow- see the photos below that she took:

 Photo credit: Red-line quaker by Katherine Puttick

 Photo credit: Mallow by Katherine Puttick

 Photo credit: Autumnal rustic by Katherine Puttick

So despite the wet weather we managed to squeeze in a moth trap here at the reserve, and hopefully we can set another one in the coming days as there's a lovely range of autumn-themed moths out at the moment on warmer nights- many are the colours of autumn to help them camouflage on bare bark, in leaf litter or during hibernation. 

The big news this week from the reserve is that we no longer have our outdoor Welcome Point, as we have reopened the Visitor Centre! Social distancing is in place, and we ask that you wear a mask (unless exempt) while indoors, sanitise your hands using the dispenser by the front entrance, and observe the 'one in, one out' system for groups- so it's one group at a time in the Visitor Centre, which can be up to six people if you are all visiting the reserve together. We'd ask that you please wait by the front entrance until the Visitor Centre is free of other visitors before entering, and it's a one-way system. 

As a quick glance, here's an update on our facilities at present:

 Trails and Visitor Car Park are open from dawn until dusk daily
 Accessible toilet open 9am to 5pm daily
Visitor Centre open from 9am to 5pm, with one visiting group of 1-6 people at a time inside. You will need to wear a mask unless exempt and sanitise your hands before entry.
 Takeaway refreshments available from 9am to 5pm daily from the Visitor Centre
 Photography Station, Mere Hide and all Viewpoints are open, with social distancing in action

We hope to see you soon on the reserve and all the best for a lovely weekend,

Heidi Jones (Visitor Experience Officer, RSPB Lakenheath Fen).