Under The Pressure

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkPTKj7-b1s

Admittedly under our own pressure, I nudged Ben into joining me on a full day's winter listing around the Ely10.  It's a great excuse to mooch around and check in on what's about locally. 

 

Heading out across Wicken Fen in the dark starts to tune you in to everything you can't see.  Little micro-climates of  warmer air, pockets of dampness, smells from the vegetation and ground all become more "visible" in absence of meaningful light.  Jackdaws are already leaving their roost and varied wildfowl keep nervous contact by quack and whistle.  A Tawny Owl "keevicks", a Water Rail gives a piglet squeal and the first of several Woodcock return from nocturnal feeding to hunker down invisible in the shrubby under storey.  A bundle of Redpoll are vocal but hard to see and a couple of Marsh Harriers lumber out of their roost.  Late to rise, we finally see a ringtail Hen Harrier while Bearded Tits ping in the phragmites.  A loop out across the Fen on our way to Fordham Woods failed to find Corn Buntings or Grey Partridge but a Stonechat did perform on cue.

 

In the woods Marsh Tits accompanied us and a flurry of Nuthatch activity provided further evidence that these birds are doing well in the area currently.  A Treecreeper wound it's way around a trunk but no Siskin could be found on this visit.

 

We headed across to the research park lake to look at the gulls.  We saw a couple of Caspian Gulls and spent most of our time enjoying a confiding adult.



 

A trip to Ely Wildspace revealed wintering Chiffchaff and an immature drake Goldeneye on Roswell Pits which qualifies as surprise of the day as they are very unusual at the site, the Shelduck on the Beet Pits was also noteworthy.

 

And on to the Washes.....

 

A surprise was in store as we peaked over the cradge bank at Pymore to be greeted by the flood shrouded in a localised mist, hanging low over the water.  Wild swans bugled through the murk and drew in others flying between feeding fields.  It wasn't going to be easy picking out anything but a very enigmatic stop.

 

 

Along the Washes to Welney where we enjoyed the spectacle of thousands of waders and wildfowl going about their business.  A little posse of Tree Sparrows entertained at the visitor centre and a couple of Curlew sadly cause a bit of excitement these days.  A Great White Egret lazily winged past just about finishing off the day.  Over 95 species seen both a respectable total and a great day out.