Lakenheath Fen - 3/10/2019

 The cold days of late Autumn have begun to wrap their icy fingers across the shortening days. Summer is becoming but a memory, holding on with a last gasp as winter comes ever closer, a knowing inevitability. With this cross over of seasons birdwatching can be quite interesting, the last diehards of summer, and the first explorers of winter.

Having exhausted the coastal reserves I felt it was time to try somewhere inland, somewhere way out to the western fringes of Suffolk. There isn't too much that way, so it wasn't a tough decision to visit Lakenheath. I never go out there that much, its been two years since I last visited, so I thought it was well time I had another look.

BLUE TIT and GOLDFINCH on the visitors centre feeders

 

Its a good reserve, but hard to birdwatch. The reserve is on such a grand scale, such a huge amount of reedbeds, there's no point of reference. I mean where do you start? Half the reserve is only viewable from the river wall, while the accessible part meanders through poplar woods with a couple of viewpoints over the reedy areas.
Today had a really Autumnal feel, the air was dank and cold, Summer seems like a long time ago.



Autumn is the time when habitat management takes place on reserves, when the breeding season is over and the winter period has yet to begin, so there is minimal disturbance to bird life. The New Fen, the first area of reedbed, was undergoing such work, with billows of smoke rising out of the reedbed and distant voices carrying in the quiet. As a result I didn't stop here for too long. As I carried on, further ahead in the trail, a STOAT appeared, running backwards, sideways, all directions but still using the human path to make its way through the area. It probably knew I was there but didn't seem to mind my presence.
Work was going on around Mere Hide, as well, but on the approach path a flock of BEARDED TITS erupted from the reedbed. This is typical behaviour for the species at this time of the year, when the birds leave their summer grounds in big eruptions. This is a species confined to large reedbeds and places like Lakenheath are essential to their survival. In this flock I counted ten individuals, but throughout the reserve the species was a constant present, with its distinctive 'pinging' call.

Smoke on the water - management work at Mere Hide

 

From Mere Hide I walked further along to reach Joist Fen viewpoint, the furthest point of the visitor trails, giving views across the vast sea of reeds, to the far horizon. Not much was present, so after a while I decided to head off. At this point in the reserve, there comes a point where the reserve path meets the public footpath along the river wall. Either you can follow the path back to the centre or you can head out to the Wilder areas of the reserve. I chose the latter.
Such a wilderness creates difficulty in seeing birds as there is no point of reference, its all just a huge area of reeds. The odd MARSH HARRIER, two overflies of GREAT WHITE EGRET, lots of BEARDED TITS, and eventually catching up with BITTERNS - I would see two flights of this species, the birds flying just above the reeds. In the end with LITTLE EGRET and GREY HERON, I saw four species of HERON which isn't too shabby, and is probably the best place in Suffolk for this. The public footpath reached the end of the reserve and the only option was to walk back the same way.

 

A pair of MUTE SWANS on the river

 

As I came back to Joist Fen, two WHOOPER SWANS flew over, distinctive because of their 'whooping' call - our local MUTE SWANS, are well, mute. Barring over summering birds this is the earliest Autumn date I have for this species, and may be the earliest in Suffolk this year.
I was also able to connect with the last HOBBY of the summer, swooping over the reeds, feeding on the declining dragonfly population, it was great to see, if a little sad that the bird will soon be leaving. This bird, along with some SWALLOWS, will be the last of the summer birds, but what a contrast with the returning swans.

A boat, some backpacks and a flask of tea - the essentials of reserve management

 

From here I walked back to the visitors centre, with the reserve on one side ad the river on the other. Eventually I came to the Washland, a seasonal pool next to the river. It was quiet, a few MUTE SWANS and TEAL, but I  encountered a pair of STONECHATS in the riverside reeds. And with that I was finished the reserve and had a well earned sit down.
Lakenheath is a lot of effort, it takes a lot of time to appreciate, it involves walking long distances, and sometimes it can be disheartening when there are NO BIRDS WHAT SO EVER. But as you can see from my blog I did in fact see a good variety of birds, if not a lot in number. Lakenheath is always that reserve where you have to risk it to see good birds, mainly wetland ones, when there's always a chance that you will see nothing at all. Its not like Minsmere where there's large numbers and varieties of birds, all so accessible, and for that Lakenheath's a fairly unique reserve. Just appreciate the quiet, the wilderness, and the absence of any people, and for that its priceless.