A few weeks since I last posted and things are changing fast. The wheat is in full ear, the oil seed rape is full of green pods, some more wildflowers are out.
When my sister comes up to stay we usually spend a day out birding together looking for birds she doesnt see in her area and adding to my list as I dont get out birding much on my own. Yesterday was no exception and we decided to do a round trip of three reserves with different habitats starting with Eldernell by the Nene Washes where our aim was to see some owls. There were a few other birders there also looking and once we had identified the area for the tawny sighting, my sister managed to spot it sitting in it usual hole deep in the woods. We heard that the long eared owl normally seen there, was not in its usual place in the hedge so I wondered along looking to see if it was anywhere else. Suddenly my sister called out, "there's an owl" as something shot out from near me and flew across a field to a distant bramble bush. We trained our binoculars on the brambles and could just make out the head of a short eared owl. Another tick. Sadly we d...
With my sister planning to visit for a couple of days as is becoming a new year custom we decided to make visits to both Welney and Rutland to see how many birds we could start the year's list with. Although only the main hide was open at Welney we were able to see a number of species including tree sparrow and whooper swans which I dont often see elsewehere. The water level was the highest I had seen it which meant the warden had to wade along in front of the hide rather than walk on the shingle when he did his 1230 swan feed although this was rather more a duck feed with the dozen or so swans far outnumbered by large numbers of pochard and mallard together with a few tufted ducks. We took advantage of the free 'hare walk' around Lady Fen which produced sightings of half a dozen hares, some roe deer and the highlight for me - a couple of short eared owls. We learnt quite a bit about the habits of hares to make 'forms' in the tussocks of grass with the grass ...
A sunny morning, free day and reports of a Great Reed Warbler seen at Ouse Fen found me visiting the reserve this morning. The carpark was busy which was a good indication that this rare visitor was still there and I soon got into conservation with a gentleman who was also about to walk down to where it had been seen. It wasnt long before we saw a group of birders ahead of us on a viewing mound which had been trampled down and a kind person offered me a view through his telescope as as we arrived where it was in full song. I was soon able to locate in my binoculars and camera and noticed its striking red throat when singing. Once I was satisfied with photos I headed off round the reserve where reed buntings, sedge and reed warblers and whitethroats were very visible and I also saw my first painted lady butterfly of the season. Great Reed Warbler Can you see me? Reed Bunting Whitethroat Sedge Warbler
Comments
Post a Comment