Coot, Grebe and Herons at Paxton

Generally things are going well for our Heron brood with all three chicks now looking ready to fledge while the Great Crested Grebes have 2 or their 3 chicks still surviving the inevitable Cormorant and Otter attacks. The Coots seem to have been less successful - no longer sitting on the near nest and obviously renewing the courtship and mating behaviour.

Nightingale Hunt

A friend was keen to hear Nightingales locally so, on Wednesday, it was off early to Paxton on a hunt for this elusive songster. There were plenty of birds singing and even showing themselves well including the Whitethroat and Chiffchaff and even a Robin with a crossed bill got in on the act. It was beginning to get a bit warm so I was hoping that we were going to succeed and, at last, that wonderful chuckling song rang out from the deep scrub and entertained us with its variety of 'tunes' for a long while flitting in and out of the dense scrub. I only managed a fleeting photo this time. On the walk back the Variable Damselflies and Banded Demoiselles were waking up and we had time for a quick visit to the hides to check on the heron chicks, Coots and Grebes. 

Spring at Paxton Pits

In the last week, I have heard 3 Nightingales and a Cuckoo at Paxton together with Willow Warbler and lots of Blackcaps so spring is definitely here. While one of the Great Crested Grebes is busy incubating the eggs, the other is out fishing etc and catching surface insects. The Coot is sitting on the nest but its partner still brings in some hefty nest materials! The Cormorants seem addicted to collecting twigs etc to add to their already very large nests.

Coot Territorial Disputes

The golden afternoon directional light gave some great colours to the water and spray yesterday afternoon at Paxton Pits as the Coots repeatedly argued about the position of their territory boundaries while the Bluetits fed on the Willow catkins above my head (where did the 2 hours go?!!)

Welney Swans and Ducks

As we had a couple of hours before meeting the rest of the group, we drove back along the road towards  Little Downham stopping for any close views of feeding swans such as this adult feeding on sugar beet and the juvenile getting any crops remaining in the black fenland soil. After meeting the rest of the group for coffee, we spent time in the main hides (the only part of the reserve that isn't flooded) or walked along the bank photographing any interesting flight patterns and portraits of Wigeon, Mallard, Gadwall etc,.