Up in Cambridge for a visit, seemed a good idea to nip over to Suffolk and visit one of my favourite RSPB reserves, Lakenheath Fen, I used to visit couple of times a year when I lived in Suffolk but not been for a while! Much better weather than expected, nice when the forecast is wrong in our favour! Sunshine and blue skies, Hurrah!
We arrived about 8.50, at the visitor center we were told there were loads of Whooper Swans on the Washland, not sure if I misheard but the figure mentioned was over 2500 at first light and about 450 a bit later, by the time we got there were about 200 left and they flew off down river in small groups, so when we left the viewpoint were about 100 left! Also while we stood there 100's of thrushes flew over our heads a mixture of Redwings and Fieldfares both the Swans and the Thrushes were impressive, I'm racking my brains but I think it is the most Whooper Swans I've ever seen! Couple of Marsh Harriers at the back as well! Swanfest in pics below, pics of the Thrushfest are less impressive but have included a couple anyway!! We also heard and had brief glimpses of Bearded Tits here but no pics!!
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| Whooper Swans |
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| A few Redwings and Fieldfares |
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| Marsh Harrier |
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| Nice to see a few Youngsters |
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| Thrushes |
So we headed off along the river path, bravely ignoring the Bull in Field signs!! A Great White Egret was along the bank, a very bolshy Mute Swan was seeing off all-comers on his pool, groups of Whoopers continued to fly over our heads heading down the river! Were also several Gulls flying up and down the river!!
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| Think it's a female seeing off a youngster |
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| Blue Tit on the Shelter |
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| Another Gull think it's a Herring Gull |
We headed to the Joist viewpoint stopping off at the new Mere Hide, lot's of change since I lasted visited, didn't see a Kingfisher, but there was a massive swirl to the side of the hide which I suspect may have been an Otter but it never resurfaced so can't be sure but the speed of movement and my experience of fish breaching makes me think it was !! We got a Kingfisher further on sat up beautifully in the reeds but flipped over and shot off down the channel before I could get a pic!! Still Whoopers going over, the viewpoint had about 4 distant Harriers all Marsh and couldn't turn any into the reported Hen Harrierš¢ Several Jets zooming about from the local airbases!!
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| Grey Heron |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Lapwing, several groups seen flying over |
Some more of Margie's pics below
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| More Whoopers |
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| Still a few Dragonflies about |
So that was about it the walk back was quieter though still groups of Lapwing and Thrushes flying about and at one point was a massive eruption of geese in the distance, think Greylags but a long way off, with the temperature rising were still several Dragonflies about in November!!!! An excellent walk on a lovely reserve which even at this time of year was full of life!!
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