Wicken Fen Hen Harrier - Record of the Sighting

We enjoyed views of this male Hen Harrier and three Marsh Harriers on the Fen today but all too distant for Bird Photography. Here just an image for the records

Wicken Fen - Birds in Autumn Settings

We very much enjoyed our 5 mile walk round Wicken Fen yesterday and saw a good selection of birds - some are shown here. They have cleared the front of the hides so good views of Redshank, Pied Wagtails, Teal, Gadwall and Pintail (bit distant). Favourite image probably the Female Read Bunting (on a reed!) but also pleased with Kestrel taking off. Following a very informative talk by Danny Green illustrated by excellent images which all showed a great sense of pictorialism, I have been a bit more adventurous with my cropping - refreshing after all the years of talks to have a presentation that made me want to revisit my approach to nature photography.

Light and Shadow at Wicken Fen

As with most areas visited this year, the insects are definitely in short supply though there seem to be plenty of spiders so they must be eating something. Playing with light and shadow on a very sunny morning at Wicken. The last image is a Damsel Bug - a family of insects I haven't previously encountered with my macro.

Southerly Winds and Hobbies etc Move On

Beautiful morning so a trip to Wicken Fen hoping for another feast of Hobbies and Terns to photograph. Just one Common Tern and a single Hobby were present but plenty of warblers including this glimpse of a Reed Warbler and lots of Whitethroats. Wondered if  pair of images are Lesser Whitethroat rather than the previous common Whitethroat.

Hobbies at Wicken Fen

Winds this Spring have been almost exclusively from the Northerly direction and therefore not helpful for birds migrating north. In the middle of this week we had a brief respite of southerly winds which brought in some /hobbies to Wicken. Great to see their antics.

Wicken Fen - Insects, Fox and Returm of the Hobbies

Yesterday was the first bright and relatively warm day for a time, so headed to Wicken Fen for a session with the birds and bugs. Not a lot around on the insect side though Brimstone, Red Admiral and Peacock all active plus as Red and Black Bug Cercopis vulnerata and a Cardinal beetle Pyrochroa serraticornis. An old Vixen fox (obviously with suckling young) watched as things hotted up from the hide - first the Terns and then up to five Hobbies entertained us with their antics (separate blog to follow). Also Buzzard, Marsh Harrier and Courting Great Crested Grebes

Baker's Fen Hide, Wicken Fen

We spent a couple of hours in the new hide on Baker's Fen. As we arrived, a Bittern flew across the reeds but did not reappear once we were set up with cameras. Most birds were very distant but this pair of Reed buntings played in the reeds close enough for some decent photos,