Birdwatching in west Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, June 2010

A trip out through Suffolk and Cambs in mid-June was aimed at seeing two or three unusual bird species. I pitched up early at the Lakenheath RSPB reserve in Suffolk - just north of the town on the B1112 - in hope of seeing Golden Oriole in the UK for the first time, but the weather proved less than ideal and there was no sign or sound of the little blighters in overcast and slightly damp conditions. I spent a couple of pleasant hours walking along the Little Ouse River and the droves around West Wood, with Marsh Harriers active (photo, above), a Grasshopper Warbler reeling and pairs of Cuckoo perched both in the open and the birch woodland, before the sun peeped through and a few bars of that flute-like Oriole voice floated through West Wood...but that was it! Still, an enjoyable first visit to this reserve and I look forward to visiting again at other seasons. There is a good visitor centre and some great viewpoints over the fen.

Pied Wagtail, Welney WWT

Things went less well at Welney WWT centre, with no Bluethroat on show and just three hours sunburn and a Pied Wagtail (above) to show for the effort! Naturally, it turned up about twenty minutes after I left and sang its heart out... Actually, despite Bluey's no-show, Welney was great - a friendly bunch of folks waiting, baby Sedge Warblers (below) getting fed within a few metres and Black-tailed Godwits and Avocets flying overhead.

Best was saved for last. Under the evening sun in a beautiful blue sky, I stopped off at Berry Fen, near Bluntisham - a newly restored area in the Hanson-RSPB wetland project to create Ouse Fen nature reserve.

Berry Fen RSPB, June 2010

It wasn't easy to find but eventually parked up just west of Earith and walked south-west along the Ouse Valley Way. The habitat looked superb and enjoying it, freshly arrived from nearby Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB, was a Blue-winged Teal. It was a little distant for the camera and directly into the sun, but there are some great pictures of this individual on the Back in Birdland blog by Mike Lawrence. I will definitely call in again when in the area.

 Blue-winged Teal, under Creative Commons licence

  

The slight struggle to find Berry Fen was worthwhile, however. I stumbled across pretty St Mary's in Bluntisham and spent a half hour exploring the churchyard, which is a beautiful mixture of managed and wild areas.

St Mary's Church, Bluntisham, Cambs