Ouse Fen RSPB - 27.4.25

Bittern

I joined Matt and George Moreton on a trip to Cambridgeshire with my first ever visit to Ouse Fen RSPB reserve. Upon arrival we scanned over a pool to look for a pair of Garganey that’d been see the previous day but no joy. We then walked up the footpath but we didn’t get too far before I spotted a Bittern flying towards us. It landed out in the open and we got it in our scopes. George then said it’s walking left but the one me and Matt were watching wasn’t. There were 2 Bittern and both out in the open! 2 more were heard booming too.

Great Reed Warbler

After our fill of those we continued up the path being serenaded by at least 2 Cuckoo’s. All of a sudden I heard the deep croaky song of our main target. After a quick wait we picked it out from amongst the reeds and there it was my second ever Great Reed Warbler. My last was in Surrey in 2002 but wasn’t as showy as this bird. The Cuckoo’s were still cuckooing and then I heard the bugling of a Crane somewhere out towards the north.

Before we left we had another scan of the original pool and Matt immediately picked out the pair of Garganey to end a fantastic morning. Such a shame Hertfordshire doesn’t have a site like this.