May 17th Strumpshaw Fen



Strumpshaw this morning

It was tipping it down with rain when I woke up this morning. I ended up getting a lift to Strumpshaw, which turned out to be a bit of a nightmare with slow traffic getting out of Norwich and traffic works in Brundall. When I eventually arrived to the reserve, the rain had stopped and the sun was coming out. Typical! Because of all the delays, I had no time for my morning walk before my shift this week.

Shelduck

Mallard



Kingfisher

 It was very quiet from the Reception Hide to begin with. The broad was almost empty with just a single shelduck and a couple of mallards and coots. But as the morning went on, more interesting wildlife gradually arrived. Kingfishers were visiting back and forth throughout the morning, favouring the bare branches of it's new favourite tree that was planted earlier this year. This tree is proving to be very popular amongst the kingfisher community, as a rival was seen sitting on it until the more dominant bird flew over to chase it away. For the few visitors that were here today, they were treated with plenty of kingfisher action full of hovering and diving.



Reed Warbler

As well as kingfishers, I also saw a spotted flycatcher briefly in the trees by the pond adjacent to the hide. I was hoping that it would return for me to get some photos of it, but it never did. Along the edges of the reed beds, reed warblers and reed buntings were moving in and out within the reed stems, while high up in the sky, several hobbies and swifts were soaring and swooping in the clouds, busily hunting the high flying insects that were up there with them. Marsh harriers were as visible as usual with some of the males sky dancing, while others were bringing back food for the female and their chicks back at their nests. A pochard was seen taking her six young ducklings for a swim around parts of the broad, though I hope they stay safe as I saw an otter on the hunt at the far side before it disappeared completely. Also today, I saw a couple of common terns, a kestrel and a sparrowhawk.

Marsh Harrier

Pochard with ducklings

Moorhen

Grey Heron

Kestrel

Sparrowhawk

Blue Tit

Green-veined White