Despite a bitterly cold north easterly, 80% of wash still frozen and drizzle towards the end of the day Dave, Colin and I enjoyed a winters day birding in Cambridgeshire trawling the area for owls and swans visiting both the Welney Wetland Trust and the Nene Wash at Endernell.
Red Kite: I was a sleep when one flew over the A605 in Northamptonshire
Buzzard: three on the Nene Washes was unusual
Marsh Harrier: immature over our heads at Welney and at least two on the Nene Washes
Hen Harrier: ringtail on the Nene Washes late afternoon.
Peregrine: a large female perched in the middle of the Nene Wash giving excellent views.
Barn Owl: one at 10am along the access road to Welney and one hunting at dusk on the Nene wash
Whooper Swan: 700 near Poplar Farm, Nene Wash, 2000 on sugar beet field near Lakeside while Welney had 200 plus on site or in nearby fields. Many family parties noted
Bewick’s Swan: small family groups seen as we neared Welney
Egyptian Goose: 2 at Welney
Common Crane: 3 were reported at Nene on the 23rd but we could not find them and had the frustration of hearing one calling as it flew over at dusk but we could not see it.
Water Pipit: 2 on Nene Wash.
Red-legged Partridge: 20 in 2 groups seen between March and Welney.
Stonechat: male on Nene Wash
Ruff: 5 seen from the café at Welney
Golden Plover: 15 over Welney
Linnet: 300 seen from the café at Welney
Welney despite the frozen conditions and some of the footpaths flooded had thousands of Wigeon with smaller numbers of Pochard, Mallard, Teal, and Pintail while Nene Wash being shallower had hardly any open water and dull conditions made viewing difficult.
Richard
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