Here's a quick round up from Ben...
The flood waters have now receded and the full trail is once again open, the path beyond tower hide and along the Lackford Run is particularly muddy so wellies are recommended.
After an initial exodus of wildfowl due to salt water, they have returned in number; teal, gadwall, mallard, shoveler and a single female pintail are all on view from reception as well as wigeon at tower hide.
This week has also seen good sightings of otter, mostly from reception, a mother and two cubs were seen on Wednesday as well as an adult male just an hour before this sighting, as always luck and patience can be useful.
Kingfishers have been a little more illusive this week, but are still being seen by the sluice. The bearded tits are becoming less conspicuous than in previous weeks but as long as you know the call you will know that they are still with us in the reedbed, they are also being seen from sandy wall and reception.
Visible migration was in evidence on Thursday, an easterly breeze and misty start to the day produced thousands of thrushes over the reserve, mainly redwings, blackbirds, song thrush and a few fieldfare. Other birds passing overhead included bramblings and siskins, to continue the in-migrants theme we have our first water pipits back on the fen so keep your eyes and ears peeled from fen hide, there are also numerous snipe lurking in the muddy margins.
Marsh harriers appear to be building in number slowly this year, however we do have at least two different wing tagged harriers present on site. One of which is green DZ, a bird tagged at Haddiscoe last year, as well as another new individual green NL, I am still awaiting the details of this individual so will share the details as soon as I know.
Early in the week starlings looked as if they may be treating us to a winter roost, a murmuration 2000 strong treated many visitors, however they had disappeared by Thursday evening. At this time of the year starling murmurations here at the fen can be unpredictable in number and location of roosting, keep an eye on the blog or facebook as we will update these if things start happening.
Goose numbers at Buckenham are now rising, with pink footed goose number now up to 540 and 57 white-fronted geese present. The banks at Buckenham are almost finished but parts of the path are still closed, however enough is open to see the geese, ducks and patrolling peregrines.
Next week we have some northerly air moving towards us, so I would expect an increase in goose numbers, wildfowl as well as thrushes and finches, keep an eye out for skeins of pink footed geese and an ear out for seeping redwings and wheezing bramblings!