Welney Wildfowl Trust

The water levels on the Ouse Washes are too high for anywhere other than the main hide to be accessible. This added to the very poor light levels yesterday didn't give a lot of opportunity for photography but I did enjoy these starlings - obviously discussing the state of their world! Very few swans evident at Welney so I went for a drive around Pymore and discovered fields full of very muddy Whoopers!

(Some images are from my rather underpowered not-very-modern camera phone!!

 

Bird Walk at Paxton

Our monthly walk at Paxton this morning concentrated on Birds, especially looking out for winter visitors. We did see a large flock of Redwings and several winter duck species - Wigeon, Goldeneye plus a lot of residents (36 species). Good to see all three Heron species (Great and Little Egret and Grey Heron). I spent a bit of time in the Cobham Hide after lunch and photographed a hovering Migrant Hawker.

Just the Weather for (Counting) Ducks

 Sunday was the March WeBS (Wetland Bird Survey) Count at Paxton Pits. It started overcast and misty but soon the rain started and by the end was very heavy. The best 'count' was certainly the single male Smew but the large numbers of dabbling ducks (Teal, Shovellers) together with Coots, Gadwall etc and Geese on the flooded meadows will be the lasting memory

Birthday Walk at Paxton

The pits at Paxton were more or less frozen over for our Third Thursday walk at Paxton so all the waterfowl were pushed into the small open areas. Lots of Fieldfare, Wren, Tree Creeper, Green Woodpecker, Single Lapwing, Several Herons and Cormorants completed the walk.

Very Wet Morning at Wicken

Definitely weather for ducks yesterday morning. This teal took flight during one of the lighter showers but the Mallards did not look happy when the rain was at its heaviest. The Coots are already paired off and showing territorial behaviour. The hundreds of Widgeon on the pools were fairly restless giving lovely atmospheric flight images along with Mallards, Mute Swans and Geese.