Week commencing 26th November

Monday 26th

Weather: 7 degrees C (feel 5 degrees C), Wind: N, 5 mph, Cloud 52%, Visibility 8 miles

Off to Burwell Fen this afternoon to walk the bank to Pout's Hall. It was feeling quite cold with a chilling breeze. The flooding of the lower section of the fen has not happened and when we got to the top section I realized that the water was no longer being let onto the fen. Whether they will continue to flood later on is not known but I do hope so as the lower half often attracts the more interesting arrivals!

Five Whooper Swan present but the numbers of wildfowl seemed to have dropped; Wigeon, Teal and Mallard were present but not in great numbers. A Cetti's Warbler was showing well down by the bridge and a further two were calling along the bank. Two Short-eared Owl were hunting over the usual fields by the barn.

On walking back notice that a number a geese had dropped in by the research pen. On scanning these I was pleased to discover that one was a White Fronted Goose. The heavily barred belly that was very apparent would make it one of the Greenland form of goose.

Record shot of White Fronted Goose (Greenland)

Number of species recorded: 27

Tuesday 27th

Weather: Mist clearing, 4°C (feel like 2°), Wind SE, 7 mph, Cloud 49%, Visibility: 5 miles following mist clearing.

A mist covered Burwell Fen this morning and took a while to slowly clear. Started out from Cock-Up Bridge to walk the Burwell Triangle. Little to see while crossing to the Old Barn other than a couple of male Stonechat. A group of thirty-eight Whooper Swan departed in small family groups until around 10 am when all had gone, leaving a carpet of white feathers on the middle pool.

Was hoping to have another look at the White-fronted Goose but despite the hundred plus Greylag on the pool was unable to locate it.

Mixed in with the Lapwing, were about thirty Golden Plover. Good numbers of Fieldfare were around Pout's Hall with a few Redwing mixed in.

There were also two Buzzards present, one with a very white chest. A female Marsh Harrier crossed the fen heading out towards Tubney Fen.

Week commencing 19th November

Monday 9th

Weather: 8 degrees C, Wind NW, 15mph, Cloud 84%, Visibility Good, 8.5 miles

Headed over to The Ouse Fen at Needingworth for the morning. Haven't been here since September 2013 when I used to call in while travelling around Cambridgeshire seeing students. It's certainly 'filled out' with the planting and hedgerows looking really good.

Ouse Fen

It was good to find significant numbers of Redwing present, in fact the most seen so far in one location this year. The areas of water were pretty quiet with just Mute Swan, Gadwall, Coot and a few Tufted Duck present.

Mute Swan: Ouse Fen

Gadwall and Coot

A small flock of Linnet were bathing in a pool and a female Marsh Harrier was present, hunting over the reed beds.

Female Marsh Harrier

Female Marsh Harrier

Number of species seen: 28

Wednesday 21st

Bitterly cold this morning out along the Reach Lode bank. Memories of those hot summer morning walks certainly now taking a bit of a back seat with a wind chill factor bringing the temperature down to at least minus 1!

Little change to the flooding of the fen since last out there on Thursday. It would seem that the flooding for some reason has stopped. Interestingly there were people up at Pout's Hall with a NT landrover seemingly having a look at the inlets. Maybe they have had to close them for a while. Hopefully the flooding with commence soon  as the lower half is looking very empty of everything other than Pheasant. Not that there was much around period!

Female Marsh Harrier quartering Tubney Fen on out arrival. Good numbers of wigeon and Greylag and a distant view of a Short-eared Owl by the Barn.

Number of species recorded: 17