I started out by emptying the moth trap which held 21 species, not great but it was a bit chilly last night, best of the entrants included 3 Pinion streaked snouts (year tick), 2 centre barred sallows, a fine red underwing and a surprise Southern Hawker.
On to the main path and the bushes seemed alive with common stuff, the Cetti's warblers were quite vocal along sandy wall but too quick for photos, the gaggle of Greylags flew overhead but I noticed a different call in amongst them, 30 Barnacle geese along with an odd looking mix up goose, all from feral origin i'm sure. Bearded tits and photographers from Fen Hide so I moved on.
5 green sandpipers flew over on my way round to Tower Hide, first I've seen for a little while. Tower hide held the usual suspects ie lots of greylags and mallards, however there was a slight increase in teal and wigeon numbers as well as a couple of Tufted ducks. The geese and ducks were on high alert for most of the time, occasionally dashing away from the reedy area to the left of the hide...prime Otter signs, however the little critter failed to show unfortunately. An Osprey drifted in towards the fen from high North and gave really good views for about 15 mins, perching and hovering right in front of Brick hide, I managed a couple of shots as it approached and headed over the river towards Surligham, I'm pretty sure this was a more adult bird than yesterdays, although 2 were seen together at one point.
After the hide I headed over to the Willow Emerald spot and was glad to see a fine male on the correct side of the ditch, finally I was able to take some macro shots of this beauty (last shots I'll post of the WE for now!) The new shots show the diagnostic spur on the side of the thorax quite nicely as well as the nice green into bronze colouration to the slightly clubbed abdomen, pale pterastigmas outlined in black and the pale claspers can just be seen if you click on the image, all in all a subtlety beautiful damselfly.
I got back to the brick hide to see that a Savi's Warbler had been reported!! After a discussion with the receptionist (the guy seemed very confident on the id, first heard singing and then managed to see the bird in the reeds at the junction of sandy wall and the river) I headed over to check it out. Not sure what to make of this one, firstly the fact that Locustella's never(?) sing at this time of the year and the fact that he seemed so blasé about the report made me think it is unlikely, secondly there were a lot of Cetti's about, had he said the wrong species?? I dont know, but an unconfirmed report of a possible is as best as it'll get I suspect, I may head back down at dusk, just in case!
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