Monday 15 June 2009

GOLDEN ORIOLES fledge young







At Lakenheath Fen RSPB, the pair of GOLDEN ORIOLES are still feeding young at the nest and are coming in about once every ten minutes with food. This is an excellent opportunity in which to see this beautiful species, of which only 3-5 pairs nest in the country now (photographed above by Josh Jenkins Shaw (top) and Richard Bayldon)

From the RSPB information centre, take the inside footpath (not the track that leads alongside the main fen) and continue parallel to the railway for at least 25 minutes (about 1.5 miles walk). Continue past the first two Black Poplar plantations until you come to the third and last one and about 10 trees from the far west end of the plantation, you will see an obvious area of flattened vegetation, from where the hanging nest can be observed (about 15 foot up in the Poplar)

Meanwhile, it has been another good year for returning EUROPEAN HONEY BUZZARDS, with at least 70 pairs back in suitable nesting territory. Birds can be seen displaying at a number of specially arranged Watchpoints, including those at Great Ryburgh and Swanton Novers (North Norfolk), Welbeck Park (Notts) and at Wykeham Forest, north of Scarborough (North Yorks), as well as at several sites in the New Forest (Hants).