A week of mixed weather, mostly fine and sunny, but each morning has started grey and murky before clearing. Temperatures have been a little above average and no rain has fallen.
The highlight of the week came on Monday afternoon when two waxwings dropped out of the sky and into the office yard, where they proceeded to catch flies for about 20 minutes before departing south. Jack snipe have been showing well throughout the week from Fen Hide and Reception Hide. The bird at Reception Hide being closer and more reliable, having been present every day this week, but still takes some finding. Other highlights have included flyover water pipit and brambling as well as a steady stream of fieldfare, redwing, meadow pipits and reed buntings. It is the time of the year when visible migration is at its best, so remember to look up and see what is migrating over the fen. A pair of stonechats have been seen from Fen Hide all week, hopefully they will stay put for the winter now. A bittern has been seen on and off all week from Fen Hide and Reception, while the marsh harriers are still present and often let you know where the snipe are by flushing them from cover.
The wildfowl are still present in good numbers with teal being most numerous followed by shoveler, gadwall and mallard, the garganey was still present in front of Tower Hide on Monday, but not reported since. The kingfishers have still been performing well, especially from Reception Hide, much to the enjoyment of all the families that have been here this week. A green sandpiper was seen at Tower Hide on Tuesday along with up to 20 common snipe.
On the wet grassland an increase in wildfowl has been notable with up to 600 pink-footed geese, 50 white-fronted geese and the wigeon numbers building slowly. On Thursday a small number of ruff were seen alongside water pipit and dunlin, while a peregrine was inspecting the marshes overhead. A hen harrier was seen on Monday evening at Buckenham, most probably the same bird as was at Strumpshaw on Monday.
A few red admirals are still on the wing, as are common darters, an otter has been seen from Reception hide throughout the week and a grass snake was seen on Thursday too
The trails are all open and passable, however the Lackford Run and riverbank paths are slightly muddy in places thanks to high river levels, walking boots or wellingtons are recommended. The woodland circuit is all passable and in good condition.