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entomologists
Latest sightings - June 2009
Wildlife Update - 1 June 2009
A Squacco Heron, a rare visitor to Britain arrived at the Fen on 2th May . This normally resides in the warmer climes of Southern Europe and over winters in Africa. The heron can generally be seen towards the Southern end of Baker's Fen.
The first recording of the Red Veined Darter Dragonfly at the Fen was made on Sunday 31 May. The Dragonfly was spotted along the ditch between the Visitor Centre and the windpump.
Cuckoos arrived at the Fen in mid April and can regularly be seen and heard on the Fen throughout the day. Reed Warblers, whose nests the Cuckoo's parasite, are in the process of mating and nesting. The female cuckoo generally lays her eggs in mid afternoon and are likely to be seen observing the Warblers' nests from the trees above Wicken Lode.
At least two booming Bitterns have been reported throughout May together with occasional sightings of a bird flying over Burwell Fen. Three pairs of Herons are nesting close to the Mere; the nests can be viewed from the Tower Hide.
Wildflowers such as Charlock, Ragged Robin, Marsh Valerian, Bittersweet, Silverweed and Common Comfrey are now flowering in profusion on Sedge Fen. Good displays of Early Marsh Orchids can now be seen along Wicken Lode Bank towards the Tower Hide. To aid identification, the Wardens are marking species around the ancient Sedge Fen with interpretation panels as individual species come into flower.
A pair of Great Tits are nesting in a bird box on the outside of the Visitor Centre. Events in the nest can be viewed via a video camera in the Visitor Centre.
The following records are taken from entries in the sightings book which is located in the Visitor Centre. Reports of sightings can also be submitted by e-mail to wickenfen@nationaltrust.org.uk
Jan
12
July
11 | Aug 11 | Sep
11 | Oct 11 | Nov
11 | Dec 11
Jan
11 | Feb 11 | Mar
11 | Apr 11 | May
11 | June 11
July
10 | Aug 10 | Sep
10 | Oct 10 | Nov
10 | Dec 10
June
10 | May
10 | Apr
10 | Mar
10 | Feb
10 | Jan 10
Dec 09 | Nov
09 | Oct 09 | Sept
09 | Aug 09 | July
09
June
09 | May 09 | Apr 09 | Mar 09
| Feb 09 | Jan
09
Dec 08 | Nov
08 | Oct
08 | Sept 08 | Aug
08 | July 08
June
08 | late
May
08 | early May 08 | Apr
08 | Mar
08 | Feb
08 | Jan
08
Dec
07 | Nov 07 | Oct
07 | Sept 07 | Aug
07 | July 07
|
Date |
Species |
Notes |
|
2/6 |
Grass snakes x 2 |
|
| Avocet Squacco heron |
Bakers Fen | |
| 4/6 | Male
sparrowhawk Reed buntings Reed warblers Buzzard Hen harrier |
|
| 4/6 | Squacco heron | From path by Bakers Fen |
| 5/6 | Squacco heron | Bakers Fen nr hide |
| Scarce
chaser Black-tailed skimmer Hairy dragonfly Four-spotted chaser Azure damselfly Red-eyed damselfly Large red damselfly |
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| 5/6 | Glow worm | |
| 5/6 | Marsh
harrier x 2 Sedge warbler x 3 Reed warbler x 9 Heron Reed bunting x 7 Cetti's warbler x 2 Grasshopper warbler x 2 Blackcap x 5 Garden warbler x 2 |
from boat |
| 6/6 | Hobby Turtle dove |
Bakers Fen |
| 6/6 | Hen
harrier Common Lizard |
Sedge Fen hide |
| 7/6 | Avocet
x 5 Squacco heron Ringed plover x 5 Wood sandpiper |
|
| 9/6 | Swifts
50+ Marsh harrier 5+ Cuckoo 2 males, 1 female Reed warbler 7+ Sedge warbler x 3 Cetti's warbler x 3 Garden warbler Blackcap x 2 Reed bunting x 7 |
Reed beds, from boat |
| 11/6 | Grasshopper
warbler Squacco heron Cuckoo 1 male, 2 female |
|
| 11/6 | Squacco
heron Little egret x 3 Hobby x 4 Marsh harrier x 2 Cetti's warbler x 3 Black tailed godwit Cuckoo x 7 |
around Tower hide |
| 13/6 | Marsh
harrier Cetti's warbler Blackcap Little egret Whitethroat Snipe Barn owl Turtle dove Cuckoo x 4 inc pair Reed warbler Reed bunting |
|
| 13/6 | Marsh
harrier Kestrels x 2 Four spot chaser Cuckoos calling |
|
| 13/6 | Green
woodpecker Marsh harrier Kestrels |
|
| 13/6 | Avocet
x 4 Oystercatcher Redshank x 3 Barn owl |
Tubney mere |
| 15/6 | Little
grebe x 6 Cormorant x 8 Little egret x 6 Heron x 3 Mute swan Greylag x 7 Canada geese x 4 Teal x 30 Mallard x 73 Moorhen x 5 Coot x 15 Lapwing x 45 Snipe x 3 Redshank x 5 Black headed gull x 25 Tern x 2 |
|
| 15/6 | Reed
warbler x 8 Sedge warbler x 11 Marsh harrier x 3 Kestrel x 2 Cuckoo x 5 Swift x 40+ Swallow x 20 House marten x 9 Cetti's warbler x 5 Whitethroat x 2 Chiffchaff x 2 Wren x 5 Reed bunting x 5 Chaffinch x 3 Goldfinch x 7 Jay x 2 Carrion crow x 5 |
Adventurers Trail |
| 16/6 | Frog | Bakers Fen |
| 16/6 | Stonechat pair | Drainers Dyke |
| 18/6 | Little
egret x 4 Garganey Spotted redshank Little grebe Redshank Lapwing |
|
| 19/6 | Cuckoos
x 2 Reed warbler x 6 Grasshopper warbler |
from boat |
| 20/6 | Grasshopper
warbler Marsh harrier x 2 |
Nature trail post 24 |
| 20/6 | Little
egret Marsh harrier Bittern Hobby Redshank Snipe Wigeon |
|
| 20/6 | Bullfinch | Drainers Dyke |
| 20/6 | Kingfisher Cuckoo Common tern |
|
| 20/6 | Grasshopper
warbler Cockoos |
Bakers Fen, Dpprs Fem |
| 21/6 | Woodcock | Opposite Wind Pump |
| 22/6 | Southern hawker | Grass near Trevelyan's Hide |
| 23/6 | Buzzard Marsh harrier Grasshopper warbler |
|
| 23/6 | Valerian Reed bunting Swallow Swift Purple orchid Comfrey Ragged robin Hedge bedstraw Purple loosestrife Blue damselfly Emperor dragonfly Yellow watch Purpose watch Chaser fly |
|
| 23/6 | Hobby | Visitor Centre |
| 24/6 | Oystercatcher | over car park |
| 24/6 | Avocet Marsh harrier |
West Mere Hide |
| 24/6 | Green
sandpiper Redshank Avocet Oystercatcher Reed bunting Turtle dove Reed warbler Cuckoo Shoveler Teal Garden warbler Sedge warbler Little egrets x 10+ Little grebe |
|
| 24/6 | Stonechat | Verralls Fen |
| 25/6 | Green
sandpiper Little ringed plover Redshank Oystercatcher Little egret Hobby Marsh harrier Cettis warbler Teal Common tern Jay Kestrel Reed warbler Sedge warbler Blackcap Willow warbler Chiffchaff Turtle dove Swift Swallow House martin Goldfinch Whitethroat Little grebe |
|
| 26/6 | Shrew Heron Grasshoppers Dragonflies Wren |
|
| 26/6 | Otter | Track by barn on Burwell Fen |
| 26/6 | Grasshopper warbler | Sedge Fen |
| 27/6 | Harlequin ladybird larvae | Near boat landing stage |
| 27/6 | Greenshank Green sandpipers x 3 Little egret x 2 |
|
| 28/6 | Banded
demoiselle x 11 Common blue damselfly Red eyed damselfly Scarce chaser Black tailed skimmers Four spot chaser Brown hewlers |
Boat |
| 29/6 | Banded
demoiselle x 10 Red eyed damselfly Common blue damselfly Variable damselfly Blue tailed damselfly Four spot chaser Black tailed skimmer Scarce chaser Common darter Emperor dragonfly Brown hewler |
|
| 30/6 | Ruddy darter | |
| 30/6 | Sparrow hawk pair | Visitor Centre/Cafe |
|
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