RSPB Ouse Fen and Lakenheath Fen

Saturday wasn't a good day weather wise, being rather dull and cool all day with a bit of drizzle at times. There wasn't much happening nationally, at least nothing worth travelling for so Colin and I decided to head to the fens, hoping to pick up a few year ticks. There was also the chance that the Snowy Owl seen around the Wash in recent weeks would be re-found, so we would at least be half way there. Unfortunately it wasn't.
There wasn't much of a plan, but we thought we'd try the fairly new RSPB Ouse Fen reserve. We had been in the area  something like 20 years previously when news of an over summering female Red Footed Falcon came out, but the decades of gravel pit excavation and restoration had changed the area considerably.
We didn't manage to get to the reed beds the other side of the river-a combination of distance and closed/diverted routes meant that we essentially did a circuit of the various pits. A couple of Smew had been wintering on one of them and had been reported recently, but we couldn't find them, assuming they were still in the area. There were a few small flocks of Wigeon still, plus the expected Mallard, Teal, Canada and Greylag Geese, a few Mute Swans and some Great Crested and Little Grebes. Its a good spot for Bullfinches-we encountered birds on several occasions with a maximum flock of five birds. An unexpected bonus were the five White Fronted Geese, though they were a fair way off on one of the larger water bodies. There have been several booming Bitterns recently, but presumably they were in the larger reed beds.

We then headed off to Lakenheath Fen. The usual Great White Egret was on the washes from the view point, but headed off west as we walked along the bank. A second bird was also seen briefly. Lots of Shelduck and Wigeon on the wash as well plus single drake Pintail. A calling Water Rail was heard in the riverside reed and iris beds, though we failed to locate the Garganey seen earlier in the morning. A flyby Water Pipit and a female Stonechat added interest as we walked towards the Joist Fen view point. We were warned that some of the Poplars had come down over winter, but both of the old plantations had lost maybe 50% of the trees,

Assuming the Golden Orioles ever return this would have a significant impact but it would probably affect the returning Cuckoos, Hobbies and Warblers more. I assume that many of the woods along the river will have been affected similarly.
Not much from the view point-no Bitterns Kingfishers or Cranes but a pair of Marsh Harriers and some pinging Bearded Tits were worth the long walk. The way back wasn't great as it had cooled a bit and the light was dropping and we didn't see much else of note.
Had the sun been out we would have tried one of the heaths for Woodlark and Stone Curlews but we decided to return early. Thoughts of calling in at Ashwell to check he dung heaps was dismissed-a big mistake as Tom Spellar found a Wheatear the next morning.

Back Again

I had a lovely time pottering in the garden on Friday. Lots of bulbs coming through, a few plants in flower and a couple of bumblebees enjoying the warm sunshine. Unfortunately it didn't last and the arctic blast arrived early on Saturday morning, with almost constant light snow and a really vicious wind. Needless to say I didn't spend much time in the garden.
I never had a great deal of success with feeding birds with suet balls, even when I got the more expensive ones. However, suet blocks have been pretty good with a succession of birds visiting the two I have at the bottom of the garden in the elder bush-including Magpies and Carrion Crows. However its been mainly Blue Tits, Great Tits and Long Tailed Tits-the latter have been coming daily.

 

Today I noticed three large blobs in the Rowan Tree-the Fieldfares have come back to feed on my neighbours apples. Had a feeling that the freeze would bring some extra birds in but I assumed it would have been the local Song Thrushes. In fact apart from the Fieldfares it hasn't been much different with the regular Wood Pigeons, Blackbirds, Robins, a Dunnock or two and the Blue, Great and Long Tailed tits.

Amwell

Following the recent cold snap, I was able to get out on Sunday for a couple of hours in what almost passed for a mild Spring morning. Unfortunately although mild, there was little in the way of sunshine, but the southerly winds promised the possibility of an early migrant.
I went to Amwell, hoping that one of the Smew might still be around-it wasn't. However the Pintail that arrived earlier in the week were still present-three nice drake birds. A pair of Goldeneye remained and the big flock of Wigeon eventually dropped in. A few Teal were on the main lake but I had got the impression that wildfowl numbers are starting to decline. However, nine Egyptian Geese appeared, and shortly after, a Shelduck arrived-I'm presuming from Rye Meads.
Bill had run his moth traps and brought down a few specimens-I got this image of an Oak Beauty on the fence rail.

He went off with the rest of the Sunday regulars leaving me and Ron to keep an eye from the viewpoint. One interesting 1w winter gull provoked some interest as it seemed to tick most of the Caspian boxes, and when I got home to look at the images I'm pretty sure it was one. Another 3w gull was more tricky though. Initially I thought it was just a Herring Gull, but was a lot darker mantled, being almost the same as a nearby adult Common Gull, but a bit too pale for Lesser Black Backed. Structurally it didn't quite match my expectations of Yellow Legged Gull, but the bill and reddish eye ring seemed to point in this direction-thats what I have put it down as for now.

Ron had to leave so I intended to walk up to Tumbling Bay and check for Smew but met everyone half way there with negative news so I joined them and headed off to the Hollycross feeders. Not much to see there though, apart from a Coal Tit and a few Long Tailed Tits and Goldfinches. The first Prunus blossoms were out on the trees by the bridge, contrasting nicely with the catkins.
We returned to the viewpoint and I spent a bit of time here before leaving. Scanning the skies produced two Red Kites, two or more Buzzards and a Sparrowhawk. Hirundines were conspicuously absent, which was pity as several sites had been reporting their first Sand Martins and it seemed like the weather was just right for one or two early birds to appear.

The Last Fieldfare

Sunday morning and the snow has almost gone. For a brief moment the Sun woke through the clouds.
Outside, Wrens are singing, I can hear Song Thrushes, Blackbirds, a flock of Long Tailed Tits somewhere nearby and a distant Green Woodpecker. The pond is still largely frozen but is starting to thaw with enough for a Blackbird to come down to drink. The Song Thrush put in a brief appearance early on, and a Great Tit called in at the feeders briefly-four days into March and I have had 13 species in the garden, which is rather high these days.
I suspect I may see the Song Thrushes occasionally in the garden again, but it will probably be a long time before one of these visits.

The Beast from the East and Winter Visitors

I woke up in the early hours of Wednesday feeling very hot and sick, with a very dry throat and a bit of a cough. Bit of a problem as I had my annual outpatients appointment at the Hospital later that day.
Although very cold, at least the sun was shining, and the occasional snow shower wasn't really settling as it was very dry and powdery. Going outside to fill the feeders was rather unpleasant as I discovered that the wind was causing a severe wind chill and it was necessary to put out some dishes of water on the patio as the pond had completely frozen over. At least the sun was heating the ground and the thin dusting of snow was melting rapidly.
I made it to the Hospital, the car's thermometer at 3pm was reading -3C, and the walk from he car was horrendous as I was heading east straight into the wind. At least the ground was largely dry and ice free. When I got back home I sat down and was surprised to see a Song Thrush the other side of the patio window. Although they are still around locally-I hear several at this time of year singing, they have always been rare visitors to the garden. The resident Blackbirds took exception to this stranger and drove it off, but it soon returned. I had a brainwave and chopped up one of the suet blocks containing fruit and scattered it under the window-which had the desired effect as two Song Thrushes appeared late in the afternoon.
Thursday was a really nasty day. It twas overcast, we had had a bit more snow and I don't think the temperature got above -5C. I put out a second feeder with sunflower hearts as I was now getting up to 25 Goldfinches visiting-double the normal amount. I was also scattering seed and more suet on the patio and under the palm tree where it was really sheltered. Looking out from one of the bedrooms a bit later I saw a Fieldfare fly into a garden opposite but lost it soon after. I went to get the camera out, and four Fieldfare flew into my Rowan briefly and then dropped into a neighbours garden where he still had some windfall apples under his tree. We sometimes have Fieldfares fly over in winter, but I have never ever seen one in a local garden-they don't even visit the remnant Hawthorn and Holly hedgerows we have outside (though Redwings have done).
Over the course of the day, we had the usual visitors-2-3 Blackbird, 1-2 Robin,1+Dunnock, several Blue Tits, and the ever present Wood Pigeons and Goldfinches. One Song Thrush continued to appear from time to time, but getting decent photos was frustrating at it was very jumpy. In the early afternoon, having topped up the piles of suet I was happy to see a Fieldfare under the palm. It made it's way up the path and almost but not quite made it onto the patio. I grabbed the camera and got some frame fillers from less than fifteen feet away.

 Today has been a slightly better day from a weather perspective, with temperatures of -2C. The wind is still bad and we are expecting more snow tonight. I have seen one of the Fieldfares again, early on. The Song Thrushes are still visiting-the above images were taken today. One of the local Magpies has discovered the fat feeder in the elder by the gate. The other birds are still visiting as usual.
I managed to get Mum out to the local supermarket-very few birds seen on the way apart from one Red Kite, and nothing at all in the wooded area by the car park.
I am surprised at the lack of other birds visiting the garden. I would have expected Long Tailed Tits, maybe a Coal Tit. Even Starlings haven't called in. No finches or House Sparrows either even thought hey are still Hanging on locally. I'm assuming they are visiting some of the other gardens  that have feeding stations.