Go Wild In The Country 2

I thought I'd made an error of judgement when, given a 3 hr stint with just the 1year old for company. I decided to have a look for the Dartford Warbler currently in residence up county in Coates just off the Nene Washes.  I didn't find the Warbler and I felt a little slap in the face when a White Stork was found out on Lady Fen at Welney.  I was in two minds about going out of the 10 and would have gone to Welney had I not been tempted by the dirty twitch.  I wasn't able to get straight up to the reserve on Sunday but did find myself able to take scope, buggy and baby out on the fen mid-morning.  I was distracted before I left the village by the now frequent roadside Buzzard and stopped to enjoy the scene. 

The White Stork had flown by the time I arrived but I enjoyed a longer walk on the reserve and lots of good quality birding.  I was fortunate when, at Friends Hide, the Stork had been located high in the sky circling off to the North.  Not a mega view but evocative to see a big old White Stork dwarfed within the huge Fenland skies.  As it transpires that the Polish ring on this bird may not assure credentials of this bird. Current information suggests that this bird is one of several that have been imported from Poland, injured, having flown into pylons and now residing in a small flock in a bird garden in Norfolk.  Providence is often an issue with our UK Stork sightings.  The only other Stork I've seen in the Ely10 bore a yellow ring PCC some 7 or 8 years ago.

It was a rung as a fledgling from a Dutch nest, a re-introduction program I think, and toured the UK for some extended time. 



 At the other end of the size scale Helen sent me a couple of pictures of a tiny Goldcrest in her garden in Witcham earlier in the winter.