Thrushes, such as redwing and fieldfare, are joining us for the winter and certainly the latter seem more noticeable at the moment. They are here to feast on the hawthorn berries and a fallen garden apples as well (if you put them out).

If you attended our AGM, or caught up on the recording, you will have heard my update on what was around. Not surprisingly, herons and raptors feature, with bitterns on the move, lurking alongside ditches at out Peatland Progress sites.

Now that we are approaching winter, more species are joining us at the Great Fen, to enjoy the relatively mild conditions (in contrast to those further north). raptors are a good example, as we see merlin arrive, skimming low over the fields in pursuit of small birds, and short-eared owls quartering the fields for voles. Check out the Northern Loop and the northern section of the Last of the Meres Trail for these birds; please keep to the marked paths. You can learn more about how to identify these birds and where to watch them at the Great Fen on the training workshop in January next year.

On sunny days, keep an eye out for insects and those hunting them. We continue to get plenty of stonechats join us at this time of year and are keen to receive your photographs of the colour-ringed birds; as we continue to investigate their moments.

With climate change we expect to see a whole range of invertebrate species persist later and later into the winter, and one good example is the common darter dragonfly. While most species are underwater, as larvae or eggs, these adults will continue hunting until they succumb to the frosts. Keep and eye out for queen bumblebees as well, on their final forages, before they go into hibernation.

You can send me your 'last of the year' sightings or other records and photographs of interest via this webpage.

Henry Stanier (Great Fen Monitoring & Research Officer)