Whooper Swan struggling to swallow a potato
Not a Scaup but a Tufted Duck/Pochard cross
(Photos copyright of Phil Farrer)
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Whooper Swan struggling to swallow a potato |
Not a Scaup but a Tufted Duck/Pochard cross |
It was grey, overcast and cold as we left Hemel at the later than usual time of 10.00am to drive to Welney. 13 members braved the weather to see the wintering wildfowl on the Ouse Washes. Any thoughts that it might be getting milder were soon dispelled by the NE wind blowing down the length of the reserve. The main observatory was our first stopping off point. From here we saw a Kestrel feeding on the remains of a dead swan; there was some dispute of this bird's identity because of it's size but we all agreed in the end. Among the wildfowl we spotted two Bean Geese with a solitary Pink Footed Goose and a few Dunlin, Redshank, a Black-Tailed Godwit and the Tufted/Pochard cross above..
Out of the warm observatory we ventured to some of the hides where we added Snipe, Ruff, Cormorant and Sparrowhawk to our list. The Sparrowhawk obliged us by sitting on a fence post fairly close to the hide before it flew off scattering the ducks in its path. Across the Washes someone in the hide pointed out two female Goldeneye continually diving.
Most of us congregated back at the main observatory to see the 3.30pm feeding frenzy. It's always a great sight to watch and all the more remarkable when you remember that all the birds are wild. So to our own "feeding frenzy", well a cuppa and a cake in the Visitors' Centre to warm us up again. Just as we'd finished a phone call from Paul, our group leader, alerted us to the presence of an Iceland Gull in the gull roost. That was a "tick" for most of us and not only that but there was a Caspian Gull very close by too.
Having heard that most of the Bewick Swans roost at the northern end of the reserve, two of us ventured to the northern-most hide as dusk fell to try to see them. We think we did but they were a long way north of the reserve coming from the fields to the west as the light faded. Our efforts weren't totally wasted though because we saw a flock of 500+ twitchy Golden Plover trying to settle down on some of the small muddy islands in front of the hide.
Four of the party stayed on in the main observatory for one of the last floodlit evening feeds of the winter another worthwhile experience to round off a very good day's birding!
Stuart Harrison
Species List
| Great Crested Grebe Cormorant Grey Heron Mute Swan Whooper Swan Greylag Goose Bean Goose Pink-footed Goose Mallard Gadwall Pintail Wigeon Teal Shoveler Tufted Duck Shelduck Pochard Goldeneye Sparrowhawk Kestrel Pheasant Moorhen Coot Oystercatcher Lapwing Golden Plover Dunlin Snipe Black-tailed Godwit
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Redshank Ruff Great Black-backed Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Herring Gull Common Gull Black-headed Gull Iceland Gull Caspian Gull Woodpigeon Collared Dove Meadow Pipit Pied Wagtail Starling Magpie Rook Carrion Crow Wren Dunnock Blackbird Fieldfare Blue Tit Great Tit House Sparrow Chaffinch Greenfinch Goldfinch Linnet Reed Bunting
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Massed Pochard waiting for the next feeding time at the |
One of several winter-plumage Ruff |