Hobbys and a Surprise at Lakenheath Fen

13th May 2024

A few days 40 Hobbys were reported at Lakenheath on their usual fuel stop on the way to their breeding grounds. This is an annual event and sometimes the numbers can swell to 100+ so time for a visit. It was now getting quite warm so nice to see a selection of dragonflies had emerged. The first two photos are of Azure Dameslflies followed by Red-eyed Damselfly, Banded Demoiselle, Four-spotted Chaser and Hairy Dragonfly.

Other fine exhibits on show were this bracket fungus and a superb stand of Yellow Water Lily, also known as Brandy Bottles.

The river bank was quite busy today with singing Reed Buntings and Sedge Warblers................

.....................and also a pair of Stonechats feeding young. The male was doing the feeding................

.................while the female was keeping watch and continually calling to the young.

But the surpise along here, not the main surprise later, was a Bittern flying down river to The Wash. I've been coming to Lakenheath Fen for several years and have never seen one this far east before.

There were two pairs of Marsh Harriers at New Fen although photography was made difficult by a strong heat haze. However, I did mange to get a few shots.

Just look at the amount of grey on the wings of this very mature male.

Now on to Joist Fen for the Hobbys which was unusually quiet. All the time we were there I only saw two harriers right at the far end and the Hobbys instead of increasing in numbers had reduced to just three birds which at one point flew overhead. Unfortunately due to the heat the insects they were flying very high in the sky.

But the great surprise today was the Osprey which circled New Fen before drifting off across the railway.

What a great way to end the day!!!!