It's now very easy to hear Cuckoo and see Hobby on the reserve- we have up to 40 or so Hobby, and by mid-morning they are airborne and hunting dragonflies. You can still hear the odd Bittern booming too!

📷 Hobby by Diane Ashton

Our latest blog is here: bit.ly/ReserveUpdate5…

We've had some wonderful sightings this week, including rapidly growing numbers of Hobbies, Cuckoo and a few sightings of the elusive Bitterns too...!

...and a nice selection of dragonflies & damselflies now on the wing yesterday, including Hairy Dragonfly, Four-spotted Chaser, Azure & Variable Damseflies - good Hobby food!

Guiding down in the Fens yesterday - we spent a very pleasant few hours at RSPB Lakenheath Fen Fen. The Hobbys are always a highlight of this time of year - we counted 21+ from Joist Fen Viewpoint & several more over New Fen, plus 3 Bitterns & 2 more booming, Crane, several Cuckoos..

Here's a lovely recording from Haydn, our Assistant Warden, last Wednesday (1/5) of a Nightingale singing near the Visitor Centre. We are lucky to have a few on site this Spring!

📷 Haydn Fox

RSPB Birders RSPB Lakenheath Fen RSPB RSPB England

Young Coots like these can be seen from Mere Hide, on the Visitor Centre pool and also around the Washland at present- they all seem to have hatched at once!

Thanks 🆂🅷🅰🆄🅽 🅱🆄🆃🆃🅾🅽 🌻🎗 for sharing these lovely photos.

RSPB Birders RSPB England RSPB RSPB Lakenheath Fen

A visitor and our Assistant Warden Haydn each saw a Swift yesterday (25/4) mixed with Sand martins and Swallows!

Will our swift boxes be used this year?! One has Blue tits in, at least...

RSPB Birders RSPB Lakenheath Fen RSPB England RSPB

Garden warbler are now singing across the reserve (18/4) and it seems to be getting a little easier to spot Hobbies now. There are lots of St. Mark's flies around which they will be feeding on!

📷 Garden warbler by Cheryl Closs

Volunteer Paul heard the first Reed warbler of 2024 from the Washland Viewpoint this morning (14/4). Yesterday also saw the first Grasshopper warbler in the meadow west of the Photo Station, and the first Nightingale in West Wood (two today).

📷 Reed warbler by Ann Blackwood

They're still here- soon they'll be breeding in top-secret mode in the reedbeds, but for now they are still visible.

Lovely photo, thanks for sharing Stuart Fox

RSPB Birders RSPB England RSPB

On a visit to the reserve now you can enjoy listening to booming Bitterns (there's one next to the Washland Viewpoint) as well as warblers like Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow warbler, Whitethroat and Sedge warbler.

In today's sun it's been a glorious day on the reserve!

Tomorrow (6 April) we have our first Guided Pond Dipping session of 2024!

We still have some places left- so if you fancy doing something different with your Saturday, you can book here: events.rspb.org.uk/events/65947

Yesterday (4/4) we briefly had an Osprey on the reserve- it flew directly north and was spotted over the Washland.

We are now in prime time for seeing migrating Ospreys so keep your eyes peeled!

RSPB Birders RSPB Lakenheath Fen RSPB England RSPB Rutland Ospreys

Our latest blog is here: bit.ly/ReserveUpdate3…

Have a read to see some wonderful photos of some of our highlights this week, including White stork, Bittern, Garganey and Hen harrier.

📷 White stork by Andrew Bradford

A single Sand martin has been seen on the Washland this morning (31/3) with three Garganey. Also worth looking for up there are a pair of Marsh harriers, two Redshank, 2 Great crested grebe and Little grebe in the river.

We now have four drake Garganey on the reserve (21 March) and around the same number of females too. Look out for them on the Hockwold Washes (viewable from the riverbank footpath) or the small flood north of East Wood.

RSPB Birders RSPB Lakenheath Fen RSPB RSPB England

A Drake garganey has been spotted on the Washland this morning by volunteer Paul, along with dozens of Wigeon, Gadwall and Shoveler. Yesterday (16/3) a White-tailed eagle flew high over the reserve and there were a few Avocet to see on the Washland too.

📷 Avocet by David Gowing

We've had several reports of a ringtail (female or juvenile) Hen harrier in flight over the Washland today (15 March). 3 Cattle egret up there too and many booming Bitterns to listen to across the reserve.

RSPB Birders RSPB England RSPB RSPB Lakenheath Fen

Our latest blog is here: bit.ly/ReserveUpdate8…

Why not take five minutes to have a read about what we've seen on the reserve in March? We hope to see you soon!

News just in- two Small tortoiseshell butterflies flying around on the reserve. Also two Pink-footed geese mixing with Greylags at Joist Fen, but they've moved on already.

Lovely Spring weather here today (8/3)

Photo by Matt Walton