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.

Water Rail at Fowlmere

It was a surprise when a Water Rail showed itself in the reeds at Fowlmere and then walked out into open water and walked across the pool to disappear into foliage on the other side. The Moorhens seemed unperturbed.

Toft Full-Spectrum Images from Misty Frosty Day

Taken on 30th November - one of the very cold misty mornings with the Full-Spectrum camera. Mostly very muted colours but, in the denser part of the wood, the autumn colours recorded well saturated presumably as infrared was somewhat filtered out by the canopy. Ted was a bit bewildered by the very cold conditions and is about to zoom off round in circles,

 

David and Francoise at Stretham

A really fun afternoon yesterday with David and Francoise at Stretham Pumping Station. Their costumes were amazing and, despite the very cold conditions, they managed to look relaxed and fully engaged for our various scenarios.

Stretham Pumping Station Details

A dull rainy day to visit Stretham Pumping Station gave some great shadows and colours for photographing the details of the machinery and tools. Stretham Old Engine is the last complete survivor of more than a hundred similar engines that worked the drainage network all over Cambridgeshire lifting the flood waters from the fields via the ditches and dykes draining it into the rivers.