There and Back

Lakenheath Fen reserve comprises a mixture of wetland and woodland south of the Little Ouse in Suffolk. The RSPB has converted an area of arable farmland into a large wetland, consisting mainly of reedbeds and grazing marshes. The new reedbeds have attracted hundreds of pairs of reed warblers and sedge warblers, as well as bearded tits and marsh harriers. Lakenheath forms part of a network of other fenland nature reserves. These include Wicken Fen, Chippenham Fen, Woodwalton Fen and the washlands of the rivers Great Ouse and Nene. Many are now undergoing similar restoration and extension projects. What we wanted to see on our visit was the Bittern - we had heard rumours of many sightings, so were very optimistic. We were not to be disappointed! The journey was about 52 miles and was rather slow at the start as we started during the early morning rush. After a very warm welcome from the staff we embarked on a slow wander around the reserve. It is several years since our last visit and t

It never fails to amaze me that so much wildlife live so close to us, and yet it is so easy to miss. However, if you go out with looking for wildlife, or photographing as in our case, then you can often be enchanted or amazed by the variety around you. Today was a walk across a local meadow and by the River Brett, with an aim in mind of seeing anything in the way of dragonfly or such. We were not disappointed. The first thing we spotted by the old Mill, was the Wagtail. This grey wagtail is a member of the wagtail family, Motacillidae, measuring around 18–19 cm overall length. The species looks somewhat similar to the yellow wagtail but has the yellow on its underside restricted to the throat and vent. The top of the bird you will see is more gray. Our Wagtail flew to a perch on a branch and then down onto the Lily pads on the river surface, where he did some hunting for insects. Once in our intended spot by the river, it was fairly easy to get images of t