The annual Langdyke walk along the Central Drove of the RSPB reserve took place on Wednesday night in unseasonably warm conditions - this is usually a chilly walk!
Nineteen members and guests gathered at the entrance to the reserve and were immediately rewarded by views of black tailed godwit, drumming snipe, redshank, lapwing and the sound of a calling corncrake! It is only two years since we heard our first corncrake here, on this walk we heard at least six! A male garganey also flew past soon after our arrival!
The walk was full of wonderful sights and sounds - black tailed godwits seemed to be everywhere, we found another male garganey, 1 little egret and all the usual waders. A barn owl was patrolling along the southern bank of the washes towards Bassenhally Farm and was seen again crossing the Drove at the end of the walk. Finally in the gathering dusk we watched a hobby hawking under the power lines over towards Whittlesey, darting to and fro and then hunhcing up in that characteristic way as it takes prey to mouth.
And the corncrake continued to call as we departed about 9.20pm. We had got within touching distance of one that was calling from the grass along the drove, but still couldn't find it!
Picture of a hobby courtesy of www.northeastwildlife.co.uk
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