Weather: dawn - clear, still, sunny, increasingly bright & warm as the sun rose. From 4:45am.
A crack of dawn start to experience the magic of Spring's dawn chorus. I also wanted to be at Lakenheath to see if the orioles were easier to see at dawn. Even though this was exceptionally early for me, I was not the first person on site, but I could see the attraction of such a early start as the volume was definitely much louder than usual & totally worth the effort.
Almost immediately from the carpark a Roe Deer scampered into the undergrowth.
Heading down along the path parallel to the train-line, in the scrub & adjacent woods (before plantations):
Jay & a booming Bittern from distant reedbeds as well as a calling Cuckoo;
Rook, Wren, Sedge Warbler, Pheasant, Whitethroat;
Skylark heard from farm fields beyond the railway;
Reed Bunting, Blackbird;
Blackcap heard from within the woods;
Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, Reed Warbler.
From the first viewpoint:
Great Crested Grebe, Crow, Magpie.
On reaching the first poplar plantation I decided to hang around & hope I could get a decent view of the elusive orioles:
Roe Deer, barking at first then it bounded through the undergrowth after it spotted me;
Green Woodpecker, heard from somewhere else on the reserve.
Golden Oriole, calling its lovely flutey call initially, but then I caught a few glimpses of swift shapes flying amongst the poplar galleries, then, after I sat down to get a more comfortable long-term view two, possibly a pair, alighted at the top of a nearby poplar giving me my best views of a wonderful bird, though they departed into the thick plantation canopy within a minute!
After the satisfying sighting I headed further up the reserve:
Muntjac crossing the path;
Grey Heron over;
Water Rail heard squealing from the reedbeds;
Cuckoo passed over my head towards the first poplar plantation;
Kestrel, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Great-Spotted Woodpecker, Lapwing (x2).
At the second plantation I had another look for the calling orioles, along with many other birders. After more shadowy shapes I identified a Mistle Thrush, which I thought might have been an oriole as it flitted about, but then I noticed 'it' was a couple tending a nest amongst the bows. The orioles were not any more forthcoming so I continued on.
Shelduck (2 over) & Stock Dove on the way to the far viewpoint.
From the far viewpoint:
Bittern, one flying down low over the reeds then two flying together over the reedbeds involved in some sort of dispute & visible for a good few minutes;
Barn Owl, great views of one daylight hunting;
Marsh Harrier, a male & female;
Cormorant, over;
Coot pair with a chick.
I headed back down the path, past increasing numbers of birders looking, presumably for the orioles which were still calling. I got a good view of a female Bearded Tit legs akimbo perched on two reed stems, then a Chaffinch in the trees.
Finally on the washland:
Mute Swan, Gadwall, Moorhen;
Garganey, a fine male feeding in the open on the washland which I watched for several minutes before I had to depart.
41 species, none new.
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