Lakenheath Fen - 14/9/2017

LONG HORNED CATTLE grazing on the river bank

We took a little trip over to West Suffolk to see the two best bird reserves over there - Lakenheath Fen and Lackford Lakes. First off is Lakenheath, the fenland created from a carrot field.
Lakenheath is an enigma of a reserve. It is an amazing place, an inspirational one in fact, by bringing back to the fens what was once lost. But it is also a frustrating place to birdwatch. There might be loads present but the birds are so difficult to see.
I remember the first day I visited Lakenheath, it was a stormy October's day and I saw nothing. I have only ever been irregularly since, and not for about a year and a half. Today didn't seem too promising, it again being very windy and nothing seen from the visitor's centre.
I was showing my brother around as he was new to here, so it was quite good to show him the grand scale of the reserve - it is absolutely enormous.
Several HOBBIES and KESTRELS were seen over the New Fen providing an identifications challenge. Over to the Mere Hide, and someone had spotted a WATER RAIL, which was present showing only a red bill and a bit of head through the reeds. It took great observational powers to find that. Two BEARDED TITS flew round the back of the reeds and several were heard on the way to Joist Fen.
Unfortunately the Joist Fen watchpoint had management work being taken out in front of it. As a result from the burning of the cut reeds literally nothing could be seen through the smoke. Essential, but a bit annoying.

Management taking place at Joist Fen. My camera couldn't take the smoke

 



We walked back along the river, but didn't see much until we got opposite the Washlands which was full of ducks, mainly GADWALL, SHOVELLER and TEAL. A GARGANEY had been reported present but I didn't feel like sorting through all those ducks to find it.

Washlands

 

So we didn't see much and it at times felt very frustrating when the place is so close to being a great reserve. As it's not quite on my birding radar it will probably be sometime before I come back.