Skip to main content

Lakenheath Fen then a patch evening

It was rather hot at Lakenheath Fen yesterday, and as usual the flagship species proved difficult on this cracking June day. We did hear Golden Oriole, and others managed the odd glimpse, be prepared to wait if you want a proper look! Another birder had seen a Common Crane on the ground, but on our arrival we were not so lucky. A Hobby was a nice bonus though; I remember seeing 30-odd here last year! 3 Cuckoos flew across our field of view, calling to one another, perhaps settling a territorial dispute. Reed and Sedge Warblers were both very active despite the heat, nest building and singing taking up their time.
I was visiting a non birding friend out west, so I really only scratched the surface here, but an early start would pay dividends I am sure. What a reserve; I always leave with that thought!
Surlingham was beautiful in the fading light, the pink sky the backdrop for reeling and warbling of the residents. 2 Barn Owls were seen, and one individual has I think gotten used to seeing me, for s/he glances in my direction every now and then but continues to hunt regardless. I watched the bird carrying a vole, flying with purpose towards Wood's End.
Grasshopper Warblers were in full song, 5 birds reeling in total. I have not heard them for a while, but then again I have not visited as late as this for a while.
3 Oystercatchers were a patch record (!) and whilst one pair of Lapwing appear to have lost their chick (sad face) the other bird that had been sitting tight is now the proud mother of 4 chicks!
Walking past the ruins, it was evident a good few bats were out and about. Going purely on size and jizz, I would say the majority were Pips but a couple of larger beasties may have been Natterers.
I then went for a drive round the nearby villages of Rockland and Claxton. An unexpected chill had perhaps caused the mist to cling to the grazing fields, and more bats were on the hunt. I stopped and listened at various spots, Owls and Quail the targets. Drew a blank, but still ample opportunity as yet.

Comments

  1. shaky3 June 2011 at 13:24

    Really enjoyed your blogs lately buddy ! I got my broad billed sandpiper tiday. A lifer for me so bonus :-) .Good to here that u still have grasshoppers reeling on ur patch.,. Great bird to hear in a summers evening . I really must get down to surlingham soon as it seems to have good variety of birds. Ur pictures of Swallowtails at strumpshaw fen were super mate. I went last week and got osprey but missed the Swallowtails so seeing them pictures wants me to get back there asap! Keep up the good work mate and look forward to reading ur next blog.
    Shaky

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Everything is about edge

Hardley, where it is often confusing to define where the garden ends and the marsh begins. Tumble-down houses and rickety shacks, away from any bus route and Team Sky sorts wrapped in lycra, this is a village that by choice is cut off. The secret is out, and pre-storm Ciara as many as 10 large lenses littered the river bank firing at will. Their target- Winter ghosts. First, the classic Scooby-Doo type, as a Barn Owl responds to an ill-advised squeak in the grass and heads towards the onlookers. Another quickly joins the hunt, their formation a picture of double-edged stealth. But these year-round residents are not the key objective today, that honour is given to the Short-eared Owl. 3/4 of these can be seen from the staithe at the minute, floating like giant moths over the tussocks and edges.  In a recent article in The New Yorker, Jake Fiennes states "Everything is about edge". Hedges, ditches, scrub, forgotten tracts of land that link nothing and no-one. Fiennes, now ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Finally, just in time for the tail end of Spring migration........

.......we get some good weather. Too little too late? Only time will tell. I have enjoyed watching the resident birds go about their business on the local marshes and broads, but that ranks as the poorest Spring I can recall in terms of migrants and variety. That is not to say the birding is not good- but just a little underwhelming. Over at Rockland Broad on Saturday, I enjoyed a bit of a raptor fest, with 3 Hoby, 2 Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier and Kestrel all seen well. 2 Garden Warbler were singing, one by the carpark and one by the broad. A couple of Common Tern were hawking over the broad, and a Kingfisher was up to the usual near the hide. Don't get me wrong, this is all great (and in the warm too) but I was hoping for something a little different at Rockland this Spring. Still, with the decent weather set to continue for the next week, eyes to the skies. And indeed, to the ground, for my first Wall Browns of the year were flying and I happened upon my first 4-spotted ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Grey Phalarope- a new patch bird

The 7th of April was another bitterly cold Spring day, hats and gloves in prime position on pegs and in bags ready to be deployed. A few brave Garganey have been reported north of the river, but it was a bird from the north itself that had me rushing for the thermals and the telescope late in the day.  I was thankful for the local Whatsapp group who were quick to report that a Grey Phalarope had been seen on Rockland Broad. This tiny Wader would have come in on the northerlies over the last few days, although to grace one of the broads is a real surprise, since most stick pretty close to the coast before moving on. Indeed, my experience of the birds has usually been on a sea watch in the Autumn, waves crashing and foam flying, my eyes straining to pick them out as they fly low just above the surf. They are fantastic birds, and now one was here on the patch. I had a brief panic when I realised my scope was in my car at the garage (thankfully I do have a much older spare) but once th...
Post a Comment
Read more