Marsh Harrier Update 16th June

16th June 2026

It's now four weeks since my last visit to Fowlmere so time for another visit to see how the harriers are getting on. As I approached the Welcome Hut I was greeted by a Scarlet Tiger Moth on the pavement and a Small Heath nectaring on a nearby Marsh Thistle.

At the Reed Bed Hide there was a lot of activity amongst the herons. There were just three birds present, but despite the size of the mere they still had many disputes over territories.

The Cuckoos were not as evident as on my last visit, with just one or two calling fairly intermittently and no flights. Then all of a sudden one shot across the front of the hide and I managed to grab a shot.

Simon and I were just saying we were surprised there were no Hobbys on such a lovely day when one swooped low over the mere. It appeared several times over a 10-minute period, and by appearing from different directions gave the impression there were two birds present, but we never saw the two at the same time.

It was catching plenty of dragonflies and judging by their size would appear to be the newly emerged Emperors that were now patrolling the numerous ditches.

So what about the Marsh Harriers? Well on my last visit both adults were in the air a lot of the time but during the few hours I was there no food was brought in to the nest. By then the eggs should be near to hatching but apparently not yet.

However today everything was different. The male brought in food three times but each time took the food straight to the nest and left the nest immediately even when the female was not there, suggesting the young were now large enough to feed themselves. There was no sign of the female for the first hour at which point she left the nest and flew off the site to the north and had not returned when I left after four hours.

Here are some shots of the male.

Assuming the eggs hatched shortly after my last visit the young would be expected to leave the nest by the end of the month. During the first week after fledging they will only fly short hops not far from the nest but thereafter will be free-flying. I wonder how many there will be?

Good to meet Simon today and have a long chat.

Black Terns at Amwell

14th June 2026

At 11am Graham White posted on the Whatsapp Group there were two Black Terns at Amwell so off I went. It was very quiet bird-wise at the view-point, just a Whitethroat collecting food for its young.

At this time of year Amwell used to be home to several pairs of Common Terns breeding on the rafts, but then in about 2006 Black-headed Gulls started moving up the Lea Valley and taking over the tern's islands and rafts. So not surprisingly the rafts today were full of Black-headed Gulls and only three Common Terns to be seen in front of the view-point. The terns sometimes wait until the gulls have finished their nests and then have a late brood.

This one was having a bath.

For the first hour the Black Terns were spending most of their time right out in the middle of the lake and centred around the tern rafts. Then later on they starting coming closer to the viewpoint allowing some shots to be taken.

Even managed a few shots of the two birds together. Here they were having a break from picking insects off the surface of the water and were catching small fish.

So what about the ages of these birds. Well the bird on the left is obviously an adult. However, you can see the bird on the right has moulted its five innermost primaries leaving the five darker outer primaries, which suggests this is a last year's juvenile bird.

And eventually after flying non-stop for two hours they decided to have a rest on a spit in front of the view-point, disturbing a Gadwall having a rest.

Well, that was an exciting two hours, and why can't all Black Terns be this cooperative.

Stone Curlews at Weeting Heath

5th June 2026

I have been to Weeting Heath for the Stone Curlews several times over the years, often without success, and at best just a head peering over the brow of a hill. But today I was in the Mere Hide at Lakenheath Fen when I heard they were showing well this year and had young, so a quick trip down the road for a visit on the way home.

Once settled in the hide it was soon apparent the area wasn't for the exclusive use of the Stone Curlews but also some furry friends and even some of their distant cousins.

I soon found a Stone Curlew some 50-60 yards away, but still the closest I have ever photographed them.

At that point the Stone Curlew found a tasty morsel for the single young and went scurrying back to the nest area where the female was guarding the chick.

I think the chick saw me!!!!

And finally something I thought I'd never achieve, a Curlew and Stone Curlew in the same frame.

So today was a red-letter day as I achieved three firsts for me, my closest photo of a Stone Curlew, my first photo of a Stone Curlew chick and my first photo of a Curlew and a Stone Curlew in the same frame.

I've had worse days!!!!