Around Lakenheath in the autumn/winter, look for the Marsh Harriers (lots, all year round), Common Buzzard, Kestrel. Lakenheath has a good number of Hen Harriers over the autumn/winter, along with Barn Owls and presumably Short-eared Owls in the surrounding fields. You might be lucky enough to get Rough-legged Buzzard too and I have certainly seen Merlin at Lakenheath RSPB.
Not a raptor as such, but Great Grey Shrikes have been regular winter visitors to the area, both at the reserve itself and also in the Breckland - Santon Warren (St Helen's) being a regular spot. But Barton (Cambs) and Therfield Heath (Royston, Herts) are good spots for all the above and are closer to Cambridge. Therfield Heath also gets Red Kites (breeding) and Merlins and there have been reports of Long-eared Owls around there too.
Try Ouse Fen (any time of year). Possibly the best place close to Cambridge for almost anything, but particularly Bitterns, Marsh Harriers, small falcons, Hen Harriers, SEOs.
In the Brecks, particularly visible in late winter, are Goshawks (round Thetford).
Spring brings Hobbies, occasional Red-footed Falcon, though there's enough woodland to suggest that Honey Buzzards aren't out of the question, while Montagu's Harrier might pass through or spend a little while. They certainly drift into the area reasonably regularly.
I should also add that Wicken Fen has a fabulous Hen Harrier roost in winter - rivalling Lakenheath's. Wicken is great all year round, with plenty of differing habitats - best to avoid the main part of the National Trust bit on sunny weekends (i.e. don't go through the Visitor Centre, steer left and along the lode for a while before turning left as the river bank turns left, crossing a low bridge and then you're into Baker's Fen. At the other side of the reserve, Burwell Fen (reached from the road between Reach and Upware), you get good views of Short-Eared Owls, sometimes in extraordinarily good numbers (as many as 15 two winters ago!).
Hello there,
mrm27 has given you a pretty comprehensive account but here are a few more tips for you. In an average winter, we usually have a marsh harrier roost of up to 20 birds some evenings. Hen harrier numbers fluctuate from year to year with four males and a ringtail last year (our best year yet).
We usually get at least one merlin wintering (some winters two) and there is usually a wintering peregrine in the area. We would certainly love to have a wintering rough legged buzzard, there has only been one previous record of this species here!
In the summer months, we regularly get large flock of hobbys feeding over the reserve in early May. There were at least 65 together on May 4 2011. As mrm27 says, we occasionally get honey buzzards and Montagu's harriers passing though on passage, especially during May and June. Red kites are becoming more and more regular and we average a couple of sightings a month at the moment.
In the winter, the best place to look for roosting raptors on the reserve is Joist Fen viewpoint, which is 1.5 miles away from the visitor centre. New Fen viewpoint can also be good for hen harriers.
We will also be building a new bird hide soon which will overlook the area where the hen harriers roosted last winter, it may well prove to be a good spot to look for them.
Barn owls and short eared owls are best seen from the washland viewpoint in the winter, which is near the visitor centre.
I hope that helps and if you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to give the office a ring on 01842 863400 or e-mail us on lakenheath@rspb.org.uk;
We hope to see you on the reserve soon.
David
wow thankyou for your (very) detailed responses.They have certainly whetted my appetite for my visit Hen harriers are beautiful to watch but I'm guessing it is still to early in the year for these to be present on the reserve yet?
65 hobbies sounds incredible. hopefully there will be a late stayer there.
Where is the best place to view cranes at the reserve?
Many thanks
Matthew
The hen harriers usually arrive in early to mid November and stay until later February/ early March.
You may well be lucky and catch up with a late hobby this weekend. However, the strong north westerley wind forecast may keep the insects down and put them off.
The best place to see the cranes on the reserve is again Joist Fen viewpoint. In terms of time of year, your best bet is from November-March as they can be very difficult to see during the breeding season. February can be especially good as it is just before the beginning of the breeding season.
Cheers,
Decided to abandon my first visit from saturday to sunday due to weather forecasts which turned out to be pretty inaccurate. Still managed to have a great day though seeing kestrels galore, marsh harriers, buzzards, cranes(x2), bitterns and green woodpeckers. Will definitely be visiting again.
Thankyou for all of your help and tips
Yes its a shame that the weather wasn't great! It sounds like you still did quite well anyway though! We hope to see you on the reserve again soon.
Thanks David. I will try and upload some of my pictures of the cranes later on this evening
Great,
We would love to see them!
I am intending to visit the reserve tomorrow. Can anybody tell me what time the harriers/raptors start to gather for the roost? I presume around 3-4pm?
Also I notice a Merlin has been seen recently.. Can anybody advise me where best to look?
Thanks