It has been another cool and blustery week at the fen, although on occasion bright and sunny with fantastic blue sky and frosts. A double low tide (without a high in between) on Tuesday saw the fen water level drop dramatically, which will hopefully have purged the last of the saline water from the fen. The path from Tower hide around to the Lackford Run remains closed due to very wet and muddy conditions, but a few more low tides and it will be reopened, although still be very muddy in places.
The windy conditions have been favourable for marsh harrier viewing over the fen, with up to six birds in the air at the same time seemingly playing in the wind. Three otters have been seen from reception on multiple occasions this week, these are thought to be a mother and two cubs, although all three look quite similar in size now. These otters have been causing a heightened level of fear with the teal, gadwall and mallards at reception, although the otters seem more content playing with each other rolling in the water and catching the occasional fish, none the less the visitors have enjoyed their presence. Bitterns have once again been regular in flight over the reedbed from reception and fen hide, but views on the floor seem to be at a premium at the moment. Bearded tits are still here in the fen, but a pinging call and a brief flight view are more regular than a classic view on a reed stem at the moment.
The woodland is seemingly alive with birds at present, there are a few roaming tit flocks throughout the wood. Within these flocks are great, blue, long tailed and marsh tits as well as goldcrests, treecreepers, nuthatches and the odd great spotted woodpecker. These flocks suddenly appear from nowhere and make the wood seem alive with birds, but as quick as they start they move on, much like rainforest birding, you need to be quick to see everything in the flock.
The wet grassland at Buckenham and Cantley has still got the taiga bean geese present as well as a family of white fronted geese, 1000's of lapwing, golden plover and wigeon. A dusk watch in the mid week saw a good number of marsh harriers pass through, barn owls quartering and even a short eared owl viewable from the river bank.