The final month of 2024 was a month of floods and strong winds. It has been so bad at times that we have had to close the reserve. So please keep an eye on our social media for any closures. Appropriate footwear is also required due to some paths being muddy.
On the wildlife side of things, unusual highlights were at a minimum. However, we have had plenty of sightings of some Strumpshaw favourites such as otters, kingfishers and bitterns. However, if there's one thing you should come to Strumpshaw to check out, it has to be the raptor roost. Stick around Fen Hide until night sets in and you should have a front row seat to a gathering of a large number of marsh harriers coming into the reedbeds for the night. So far, the highest total we've counted is 40. Yes, 40! Of course, there's also plenty of buzzards, red kites and even a female hen harrier to keep an eye out for too.
Marsh Harrier - Andy Egan
Grey wagtails have been a regular sight from reception and from Fen Hide. They are actually more colourful than their name suggests as they are more yellow than grey. But as there is another wagtail species called a yellow wagtail, it makes perfect sense that they named the bird after its other colour instead. These birds are very much a bird of watery places, so keep a close eye on the partially submerged stubbled patches of reed in front of the hides.
Over at Buckenham, wigeon and pink-footed geese numbers have definitely increased on the marshes. In fact, there's probably more to see there than at Strumpshaw right now. On Dec 30th, there was even a report that a possible glossy ibis was seen flying over the river. And if you want something more of a spectacle, then go see the famous Buckenham rook roost where thousands of rooks and jackdaws arrive from the fields to a few trees by the church each night just up the road from the reserve's car park.
Buckenham Marshes, Wigeon - Andy Egan
My December and my final plant of the month is... The common reed. Yes, the one plant that forms the habitat in which much of our wildlife calls home. From bearded tits to bitterns, this plant is perhaps our most important plant that covers more than half of our reserve that we call Strumpshaw Fen. In every season, its appearance changes from lush green with dark seed heads to bright gold in the low winter sunlight with the seeds turning into pale fluffy brushes. There's nothing more beautiful than a reedbed bouncing in the wind.
And that's 2024 all wrapped up. It has been a wet but eventful year. A year in which we celebrated the success of our first crane chick to successfully fledge from Strumpshaw into a fully flying juvenile and the rise of the fen raft spider. Everyone at Strumpshaw Fen would like to wish our visitors a very Happy New Year! We look forward to welcoming you in 2025. I will be back with the end of year round up next week.