Baker's Fen: Wednesday 14th June

Set off for an audio bird watch due to forgetting my binoculars!. I blame old age. Never mind as it was good practice for identifying birds by call only. Cuckoo calling constantly as were Chiffchaff. Plenty of Cetti's Warbler and Blackcaps singing along with a couple of Garden Warblers. Nice to see a small flock of Linnets.

Did have my camera with me so stopped to capture a snap some of the many butterflies. A lot easier than photographing birds.

Small Tortoiseshell

Meadow Brown

Small Tortoiseshell

Underside wing of a Gatekeeper

Tuesday 13th June: Welney and Ouse Washes

A little bit of work took me towards Welney this morning so popped in for a couple of hours to see what was about. As with all places at this time of the year, things were fairly quiet but there is always the hope something will turn up.

Plenty of Avocet around with young and a very nice flotilla of young Shelduck with two attentive adults. A number of Black-tailed Godwit in partial breeding plumage were present and amongst them was one in full breeding plumage with unusual rings. Took a while to get an image of this bird and the rings as it was at the back of the scrape. Unlike the usual ringed birds this only had single rings on each leg. Will send observation off and see if its origins can be found.

Black tailed Godwit: Single orange ring on left leg and single dark green on right. Both above knee.

A pair of Little Ringed Plover on the pool at Friend's Hide added to the single one seen from the Main Hide. This pair had with them two young so a good season for them.

Litte Ringed Plover

Common Tern were also in and around the Friend's pool.

Resting Common Tern

Ouse Washes

News of the successful hatching of two Black-Winged Stilt was put out yesterday. Parents had nested opposite Stockdale and their presence was kept quiet until the announcement. Given the predation of the chicks at Welney it was great to see successful hatching at the Washes. Hopefully they will survive. The parents were certainly being attentive, driving off Avocets and Lapwings that got too close.

Male Black winged Stilt

Proud mum and dad

Female on left, male right

Male on left.

Burwell Fen Triangle: Monday 12th June

Blustery morning, warm but with a strong wind. Parked at Cock-Up Bridge and walked along bank to Pouts Hall and then down to the Upware Bridge.

Red Kite attracted the attention of the Common Terns, which quickly rose into the sky to chase the Kite off.

Common Tern

Two juvenile Stonechat  showing well and five Linnet seen. Small number of Swift and Swallow through. Single Redshank at top end and Little Egret in various locations. 1 male Marsh Harrier and a single Buzzard present.

Species Seen (45)
Blackcap	Sylvia atricapilla
Black-headed Gull	Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Buzzard	Buteo buteo
Canada Goose	Branta canadensis
Carrion Crow	Corvus corone
Cetti's Warbler	Cettia cetti
Chiffchaff	Phylloscopus collybita
Common Tern	Sterna hirundo
Coot	Fulica atra
Cormorant	Phalacrocorax carbo
Cuckoo	Cuculus canorus
Egyptian Goose	Alopochen aegyptiaca
Gadwall	Anas strepera
Goldfinch	Carduelis carduelis
Grey Heron	Ardea cinerea
Greylag Goose	Anser anser
Jackdaw	Corvus monedula
Kestrel	Falco tinnunculus
Lapwing	Vanellus vanellus
Linnet	Carduelis cannabina
Little Egret	Egretta garzetta
Little Grebe	Tachybaptus ruficollis
Magpie	Pica pica
Mallard	Anas platyrhynchos
Marsh Harrier	Circus aeruginosus
Moorhen	Gallinula chloropus
Mute Swan	Cygnus olor
Pheasant	Phasianus colchicus
Pied Wagtail	Motacilla alba
Red Kite	Milvus milvus
Redshank	Tringa totanus
Reed Bunting	Emberiza schoeniclus
Reed Warbler	Acrocephalus scirpaceus
Rook	Corvus frugilegus
Sedge Warbler	Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
Shelduck	Tadorna tadorna
Shoveler	Anas clypeata
Skylark	Alauda arvensis
Stonechat	Saxicola torquatus
Swallow	Hirundo rustica
Swift	Apus apus
Tufted Duck	Aythya fuligula
Whitethroat	Sylvia communis
Woodpigeon	Columba palumbus
Wren	Troglodytes troglodytes