I spent an afternoon at RSPB Lakenheath Fen on the 1st, looking for Water Pipits and Common Cranes. A single Water Pipit was heard, but not seen, near the Joist Fen viewpoint. Also seen were three Whooper Swans, four Great White Egrets and at least two Marsh Harriers on a quiet day.
Two Whooper Swans and a Great White Egret on Washland, Lakenheath Fen, 1 November
My quest for cranes continued on the 6th, when I drove up to Willow Tree Fen, north of Peterborough, where Common Cranes had been regularly seen coming in to roost. I hadn't been to Willow Tree Fen for about 15 years and was surprised to find that, whereas before I had been able to walk out onto the fen, I was now restricted to a car park with a viewpoint looking out over the fen. However, that was all that I needed as 25 Common Cranes came in to roost at dusk, with several Marsh Harriers (including a leucistic individual) and seven Cattle Egrets also seen from the viewpoint.
Record shot of some of the 25 Common Cranes that roosted at Willow Tree Fen on 6 November
Staines Reservoirs have proved a happy hunting ground over the years, and particularly last winter when I had great views of some of our rarer grebes and divers. News of a Lapland Bunting on the causeway between the north and south reservoirs enticed me to visit again. I arrived on the 7th to find the bunting hopping on the causeway almost at the feet of the assembled birdwatchers (I suspect that somebody had put food down for it here). I knelt and waited as it came towards me, getting so close that I couldn't focus my camera on it! My images don't do justice to this characterful little bird, which is still present at the site as I write this on the 9th. Further along the causeway I counted five Black-necked Grebes on the South Basin. It is unusual not to see this species here during the winter months and they are sometimes joined by Slavonian Grebes.
Lapland Bunting, Staines Reservoirs, 7 November
Lapland Bunting, Staines Reservoirs, 7 November
Three Black-necked Grebes, Staines Reservoirs, 7 November
On the 12th I made another visit to the North Norfolk coast, spending time at Thornham Harbour before moving on to Titchwell. Once again I had a glimpse of a Water Pipit as it flew in front of the Parrinder Hide, uttering its distinctive, sharp, one note call. Several Meadow Pipits were also around. One pipit seen from the Parrinder Hide had a very distinctive eye ring, which didn't fit with any pipit species! I've included a somewhat pixellated photo of the bird below (it was a long way away). I assume that the bird is a Meadow Pipit. Fourteen wader species, including Ruff, were seen on the day.
(Meadow?) Pipit (nearest bird) with Conspicuous Eye Ring, RSPB Titchwell Marsh, 12 November
Eleven Little Egrets, RSPB Titchwell Marsh, 12 November
Sanderling on Titchwell Beach, 12 November
An RSPB coach trip on the 17th saw us spending the day at Rutland Water (Egleton Reserve). Slavonian Grebe, Great Northern Diver, Cattle Egret, Kingfisher and Scaup were amongst the species seen. Several Great Egrets were present on the reserve and two appeared to be courting, walking close together with bills pointing to the sky - behaviour that I haven't seen before. I took some photos at an angle through glass, which didn't come out at all well, so I'll include a more conventional image below.
Great Egret, Rutland Water (Egleton Reserve), 17 November
Blue Tit near the Feeding Station, Rutland Water (Egleton), 17 November
I left the UK on the 22nd for a wildlife holiday in The Gambia (West Africa). I will get back to writing my blog posts when I've recovered, in mid December.
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