Thursday 28th March

I'm giving up trying to keep a record of every visit that I make to the fen as, at the moment, there seems to be very little around and so to report. So for the next few weeks I'm just going to record those visits that produce some interesting observations.

This mornings visit produced two Avocet feeding on the lower pool by the flooded tree.  Last time I'd seen any here was on the 13th July 2018. 

Avocet

Avocet

Avocet

The pools along the path contained a good number of Shoveler and Shelduck with Gadwall and Teal also present. The number of Wigeon were significantly down.

On the pool behind the barn (as it used to be) a group of Little Egret were displaying.

Little Egret

Little Egret

Little Egret

On returning to the Flooded Tree Pool a group of six Ruff (three Reeve) were feeding towards centre of the pool.

Ruff and Reeve

Ruff and Reeve

It was good to hear my first drumming Snipe of the spring!

Week commencing 18th March

Monday 18th

First day for a week that we haven't had high winds, so it was nice to be up early and out before 7.30 am.

A Short-eared Owl was sat on one of the fence posts by the Upware Bridge and that was the highlight of the whole visit! It was very quiet with little around other than two Egyptian Goose on the lower pool.

We await the arrival of spring and any passing migrants!

Wednesday 20th

Another nice morning so off to Cock-Up Bridge for a walk around Adventure's and Baker's Fen. Cetti's Warbler activity has greatly increased with birds calling from numerous place some showing well. Chiffchaff numbers also increasing and becoming more vocal. A number of Marsh Harrier were present with at least three females attracting the attention of the males. One female was particularly vocal. Two Red Kite put in a brief appearance before heading off towards Kingfisher Bridge.

Red Kite, one of two over Upwell

Good to see a Bearded Tit, the first for this year! Wigeon numbers declining and Teal seem to be more hidden.

Number of species seen: 45

Thursday 21st

All quiet out on the fen this morning. Wigeon numbers down and Teal less obvious. Shelduck number increasing. Other than that all quiet.

Number of species seen: 33

Friday 22nd

All day at Welney doing various jobs etc. Two Cattle Egret by the bridge on the way in and then later 1 mixed in with the Black-tailed Godwits from Reedbed Hide.

Cattle Egret and Black-tailed Godwit

Cattle Egret and Black-tailed Godwit

A couple of Great White Egret out on Lady Fen as was a Spoonbill but didn't put in an appearance while I was out and about.

Number of Species seen: 50

Wednesday 27th February

A spell of amazingly good weather. The hottest February on record! A glorious morning saw us off to Cock-Up Bridge for a walk across Burwell Fen and back.

The Short-Eared Owl put in a very good appearance, sitting for a while on the fence posts, allowing me to capture some more images.

The pools held the usual wildfowl, if in reduced numbers. Sadly our visit had to be cut short due to the early arrival of BT at home to sort out the broadband!

Week commencing 4th February

Monday 4th

Weather: 9°C (feeling like 7° C), Wind: W, 9mph, Cloud 100%, Visibility 2 miles

Afternoon at Burwell Fen and not too many people around. The old barn has now disappeared so no more using it as a landmark for observations!

As we were unloading at bridge a Short-eared Owl was hunting over Tubney Fen. Two further owls were seen on the far side of Burwell Fen as we crossed the bridge. These were soon joined by a Barn Owl.

A single Whooper Swan was on the far side pool as were two male Pintail. The usual wildfowl were present and two pairs of Stonechat were showing well

Species seen 38

Tuesday 5th

Took myself off to Holkham, leaving the dogs behind for once, giving me uninterrupted birding without worrying where Annie was!

Good numbers of Brent and Pink-footed Goose around on arrival with Wigeon in large numbers on the fields.

Was looking for Shore Lark and found them in the marram grass to the right of the broadwalk, with 21 in total.

Male Shore Lark

Male and Female Shore Lark

Male and Female Shore Lark

A good flock of over seventy Snow Bunting were moving around the same area but sadly over the far side so images somewhat pushing the P900!

Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting

Sea watch produced a good number of Common and Velvet Scoter with a couple of male Long-tailed Duck mixed in. At least five Red-breasted Merganser and Great Crested Grebe were off shore as was a Slavonian Grebe. A large flock of  Wigeon were also off shore.

Tried tracking down the Dartford Warbler that was spotted at the edge of the woods but no luck just Long-tailed Tit and Chaffinch.

Plenty of Brent and Pink-footed Goose present as were a number of Buzzard and a single Red Kite.

Buzzard

Buzzard

Wednesday 6th

Weather:10° C (feel like 7°), wind SW, 7mph, Cloud 75%, Visibility 2 miles

Really nice morning for a stroll along the bank. The old barn has no gone so there goes my supply of owl pellets!

Two Whooper Swan present and at least five Pintail. A Short-eared Owl was hunting over Tubney Fen and a Peregrine appeared from where once the old barn stood. Also where once the old bar stood a Great White Egret was showing well.

Cormorant on Pout's Hall Lake

Great Tit

The Highland Cattle were along the path to the old barn! These wonderful creatures are so approachable even with two dogs in tow!

Highland Cattle with calf

Need a new hair do?

Week commencing 21st January

Monday 21st

Weather: 5° (feeling like -2°), Wind 5mph, SW, Cloud 100% clearing to 40% by noon, Visibility 1 mile increasing to 5 miles.

Much of the water at Burwell Fen was iced over so other than a couple of Moorhen there was nothing on the lower half of the flooded area.

A small patch was not frozen on the main flood area and fortunately was near to the bank so much of the waterfowl was closer in than usual. About a hundred Teal and a similar number of Wigeon were present with a good number of Shoveler present and three Shelduck further out on the ice.

Two Short-eared Owl were quartering the far side and both a male and female Marsh Harrier were present.

Number of species seen: 35

Week commencing 7th January

Monday 7th

Weather: 7 degrees C (feel like 4), Wind 10mph, SW, Cloud 79%, Vis 10 miles

First time out since the Christmas period came to an end and very little about. Small group of Golden Plover passed through and a single male Pintail were the outstanding observations of the morning. A single male Stonechat and a solo Egyptian Goose also present. Other than that pretty much the usual fare.

Tuesday 8th

Weather: 6 degrees (feel 2 degrees C), Wind 13 mph, NW, Cloud: 0, Good visibility

Reports of Great Grey Shrike and Smew saw us heading over to The Ouse Fen in the hope of better birding! Sadly neither seen although both were reported. Can only guess that the Smew were seen by the two birder who were inside the fenced off area checking out a pit that's hard to see from the public footpath.

Other than that nothing to report of worth.

Wednesday 9th

Cold: 5 degrees C (feeling like 1 degree), Wind: NNW 13 mph, Cloud: 48% Visibility: 9m

After completing a few jobs at home the dogs and I set out to Baker's Fen. A cold afternoon but really nice for walking.

A few Fieldfare and Redwing along Harrison's Drove and three male Pintail on the pool in front of the hide.

Along Wicken Lode two Woodcock flew from the hedges and over onto Sedge Fen. Coming down Burwell Lode a male Hen Harrier cruised over from Burwell Fen and disappeared into Baker's.

Thursday 10th

Weather: 3 degree (Feel -1), Wind NW, 10mph. Cloud 100%. Visibility 8m

Welney for a course in the morning, Three Bean Goose dropped in with a group of Greylag. Good numbers of Pintail around.

Back after lunch so out with the dogs to Burwell. Usual wildfowl present and at the top end of the fen a good gathering of gulls including thirteen Common Gull, one of which was ringed with a red ring on the left leg.

Week commencing 1st January 2019

Busy with family commitments so haven't spent much time out and about birding until Friday 4th when off to Welney for a day of physical activity to burn off the turkey.

All quiet when I arrived as everyone was over in the Main Hide looking at the Ring-necked Duck (male), that had appeared the night before. It was showing well from the Main Hide, mixed in with the Pochard. By the time I go my camera out it decided to tuck its head away and snooze.

A rather poor record shot of it a little later in the morning when it had moved to one of the spits.

Good numbers of Black-tailed Godwit around but despite watching them while having lunch could not find any that were ringed.

While lunching spotted a Rough-legged Buzzard on the far side being driven off by Carrion Crow and the wandering White Stork in the same area. 

Number of species seen: 49

Review of 2018

So, a New Year, new lists and the possibility of new species....we can live in hope! Little to report over the Christmas period as family and eating took over. Time to reflect on the past year.

Number of species seen overall in the year: 237.

Yearly Species Count 2010 to 2018

So down on 2017 but up on the rest of the years since 2010

Looking at the monthly species count: 2018

Monthly species count 2018

In comparison to 2017

March 2018 saw me birding in Spain for a week whereas it was in May 2017 that I did the first Spanish trip to Extremadura.

The number of Lifers seen in 2018 was 32. The majority while in Canada and Alaska with four in Spain and a single at Burwell Fen and a First at Welney

2017 saw 19 First added to the list with 3 in the UK the rest from Extramadura.

In general, not a bad year but not one to remember for really outstanding birding, especially locally although the trips abroad were very worth while.

Specific to Burwell Fen, I was two species short of last years total of 114, still not reaching 2014 grand total of 120!

Visited and recorded sightings from Burwell Fen on 75 occasions during 2018 as opposed to 66 times in 2017. A product of full retirement. A total of 234 recordings submitted to Bird Journal,Bird and the BTO, which was only 6 more than 2017.

Local Patch

Number of species seen locally  in 2018 were 66. In 2017 it was 67 so down by one! Submitted 51 lists as opposed to 54 in 2017. No life ticks recorded for this location.

Week commencing 17th December

Monday 17th

After a blustery and wet weekend it was nice to get out into a still Burwell. Planned to cover the lower half of the Fen from the Reach Bridge to Cock Up and back via the Old Barn. However, having met another birder who reported that he had heard of a Slavonian Grebe was somewhere along Burwell Lode, I decided to walk up to Pout's Hall and down the other side.

Good number of Stonechat were to be found along the side of the paths and a very bright Yellowhammer was associating with Reed Bunting by the nearest cattle grid to Cock Up. Little GrebeWalking down the Lode towards Burwell produced three Little Grebe and a couple of Mute Swan but no Slavonian Grebe. There were however a rather sizable flock (C20) of Skylark on the arable field on the opposite bank.

Headed towards Pout's Hall, again spotting Stonechat as we went. A few Fieldfare were in the bushes along with as were a small flock of mainly male Chaffinch.

As we got to the lake at Pout's Hall spotted a grebe ahead by the confluence of the two Lodes. Even with just a quick look it was obvious from its colouring and outline that this was a Slavonian Grebe. Moving closer got a better view but sadly not good enough for a photo. The Grebe seemed to head into Reach Lode so cut along the base of the Lake and down the little track to the point. However only had the briefest of glance before losing it. Fifteen minutes of moving between lodes proved to be pointless. I'm assuming this is the one that has been on the River Cam near The Lazy Otter pub for the last few weeks.

Heading back towards the Reach Bridge was able to spot a Short-Eared Owl on the far side. At the flooded ditch which crosses the lower part of the fen located two Water Pipit feeding along the edge. Managed to get a couple of 'record' shots of them but not great images!

Record shot of Water Pipits

Record shot of Water Pipits

Total Species recorded: 37

Thursday 20th

Out to Burwell Fen and along the bank towards Pout's Hall. Beautiful day but very quiet bird-wise. No sign of the Water Pipits and the number of wildfowl seemed reduced. However, was nice to find five Pintail (2 male), a species last seen on Baker's Fen in March. Other than that all very quiet!

Friday 21st

A grey and miserable day at Welney! Plenty of Pintail around and vast numbers of Lapwing, Wigeon, Teal and Mallard. Many of the Whooper and Bewick Swan were out on the fields and a Great White Egret was on Lady Frn.

Managed to catch up with the escaped Ringed-necked Teal that had been appearing at the early morning feed but which soon disappears back into the undergrowth. Today it was showing well in front of the Main Hide.

Ringed-necked Teal

Ringed-necked Teal

Vast numbers of Black-tailed Godwit were showin g well as were Golden Plover. On the far side of a bank a White Stork was slinking through the undergrowth, another escapee that has been up and down the washes for a while.

Number of species recorded: 44

Week commencing 10th December

Monday 10th 

Having had to make a made dash to Donegal on 'family business' little birdwatching was done last week other than spotting a nice group of Red-Breasted Merganser(7 mixed), five male and two female Eider and a few Common Gull, while waiting for the ferry at Cairnryan. On the other side Hooded Crow were present in good numbers.

So it was nice to get back to wondering the bank at Burwell Fen with the dogs. The weather was pretty ropey, grey and cold and sadly so was the bird watching! Small numbers of the usual waterfowl with the addition of two Egyptian Goose and two male Pochard.

A female Marsh Harrier was present as was a Buzzard.

Number of species recorded: 23