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,.

RSPB Titchwell Marsh Birds

Here a selection of distant and closer shots at Titchwell - not all in the best direction for the light but gives a flavour of the variety and sheer numbers of geese (Pink-footed and Brent), ducks (Shelduck,Shoveller, Teal and Widgeon) and waders (Golden Plover) there in the winter plus distant view of Marsh Harriers as in the first shot.

 

Paxton Winter Water Birds

Thursday morning was dull with showers but it brightened in the afternoon so I took my camera out to see what wildfowl are around - pleased to see Goldeneye, Shoveller and Little Grebe. It was very windy so the water was choppy.

Paxton Pits Afternoon walk

Yesterday morning was too wet to do outside work at Paxton Pits so we were undercover putting nest boxes together. In the afternoon, the rain stopped and clouds cleared to give beautiful light for a walk around the reserve. There are hundreds of Gadwall and Widgeon on the Lakes at the moment together with resident Cormorants, Swans and Gulls which provided plenty of activity to photograph. The flies are still active with three species of hoverfly in one small patch together with a Sarcophagid fly on a toadstool.

Sunny Morning at Paxton Pits

After a frosty start, the sun yesterday was pleasantly warming. The Black-headed Gulls entertained us collecting food from the surface of the water together with diving cormorants and lots of ducks. A couple of habitat shots (with Great White Egret) and two 'signs' of Spring - Cormorant with nesting material and a Honey Bee.