The media dubbed a recent old fashioned snow flurry as "The beast from the east", the snow's terrible for many birds if it hangs around long but does provide some close views of birds taking a few more risks to intake the needed calories. The garden was visited by a wider variety of species and the reflected light illuminating the underside of birds makes plumage sing.
Possibly displaced by the cold weather an immature Shag appeared at the Cambridge Research Park over a week ago but I kept missing it. Today I did see it but it was hidden away under a jetty and I may well have missed it at this spot on my previous visits.
When the bird took to the water it showed well and was a very welcome addition to my Ely10 sightings.
The wind was biting hard, fingers burnt with the cold after a few minutes out of gloves. I headed to Chain Corner to have a second look at the Ring-necked Duck which was bobbling around in the choppy waters amongst the Pochard.
At Ely Beet Pits a 25 strong flock of Shoveler were spiralling in a tight circle, heads under but pushed towards the centre and the flock was moving in a spiral. I'm expect that this is an effective way to create a current and draw food closer to the surface but it's the first time I have seen this behaviour, which I'm going to call kettleing, particularly interesting given the reasonable size of the flock.
I was back home by 9 as we were due to visit Walthamstow. I managed to squeeze in 30 minutes at the Wetlands reserve and took seconds on the Little Bunting which was drawn to a seeded area. Secretive and keeping within cover the lovely bunting did show closely although the cold again was drilling through to the bones. Spring I am sure will spring before long.
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