Roe Deer near Bait's Bite Lock

I hadn't noticed/seen Roe Deer on the other side of The Cam near Bait's Bite Lock before.   They had seen the dog and me but elected not to run for it.   Rarely seen is a two-headed Roe Deer...........   Reminded me of 'Pushmi - Pullyu' in Hugh Lofting's The Story of Dr Doolittle!

There were a couple of Little Grebes on the river and I wondered if they were a unit yet, prospecting about the future and what the year ahead might hold.   Only one Dab Chick worthy of posting.

The 'lived-on' narrow boat, called Dream Catcher' was sporting two fires early that morning.

Near Beechwoods

Neither the weather nor the sunrise prompting that much photography this morning.   These clouds were scudding across the sky but don't appear to have heralded a storm or particularly bad weather - just a colourful reminder that the sun was soon to rise.

Reflected and Straight Sunrise - Research Park

I still find I want to capture the colours of the sunrise!  The first photograph is of the sunrise reflected off the frozen surface of the lake at the Research Park.   I'd be tempted to go back there for more reflections off  the frozen water when it gets that cold again.

Regrettably I didn't have the right camera settings to do justice to the Little Egret but it was a pleasure to see it anyway.   And it is reflecting the colours of the sunrise.

Frozen Lake - Milton Country Park

The largest lake, Dickinson's, was almost completely frozen this morning, so a high concentration of birds on the only open water left - difficult to see on the panorama images.   The ice was thick but it didn't occur to me to throw vegetative debris onto the lake surface to try and break the ice to see just how thick it was.   At least that is what I assume explains the last photograph.

Bait's Bite Sunrise

As the days get longer I shalln't be up early enough to capture the sunrise and as that is a significant feature of dog walking during these winter, and colourful, mornings, I can't but be amazed by the colours and how quickly the blues and pinks change to oranges.   It was a cold morning and I was admiring of the cyclists who chanced the slippery road surfaces.

Wicken Fen - Birds

The walk was a circular one from Upware Marina to Cock Up Bridge and back, and at the furthest point we saw both a Barn Owl - which flew into the barn near the car park! - then a Short Eared Owl.   Later a Fieldfare and duck in flight, but I'm not sure that I know what the duck were - Widgeon perhaps.

Wicken Fen - Mammals

Richard and I went for a walk quite early in the morning but weren't privy to either a sunrise or a heavy frost, but it was an enjoyable walk nevertheless.   Both postings are record shots rather than anything technically or creatively special. 

The horns on the Highland Cattle are clearly going to be used in an attack and grow to a significant length and width.   The colour range of Konik Ponies merges them into the background so well.  I wonder if their habitat in Poland is similar to that of our Fens.   A visit to Wicken Fen wouldn't be complete without a Muntjac featuring.

The Great Ouse

It was lovely to see the intensity of colour reflected in The Great Ouse.

Lazy Otter - the next day

Just had to return to the site this morning!   It was colder than yesterday, with a stronger frost.   The colour was so different from yesterday too, spanning a vast expanse of sky with a strong range of reds, oranges and golds, and a very different cloud formation.   The clouds today seemed to have emerged from vapour trails and at one point it was possible to see five aircraft charting their ways across this flambuoyantly coloured sky.   Unless one saw the sky one wouldn't believe it was possible to see such intensity of colour - and I haven't added any 'vibrance'!   As the sun got nearer to rising, the intensity of colour dropped away.

Great Ouse

What a different colour palette there is when turning away from the rising sun.   I just love these subtle shades of blues and browns - and some reduction in vibrance.   Yes, the first one is monochrome.

Old Barn, Lazy Otter

The intensity of the colour around dawn was quite something today, added to which there was a frost and a mist!   Quite a morning......

In some of these images I've reduced the intensity of colour in the sunrise and in other instances I've converted to monochrome.   Another post will include images of the Great Ouse River, but the first topic of interest this morning was the Old Barn with the first of the morning light behind it.

 

 

Moonset before Sunrise

I should have taken a photograph of the sunrise to complement this Moonset which was taken from the Beechwoods before dawn this morning.   Although not taken from exactly the same spot, the differential focus gives a different feel to each of these images, and I was surprised how much detail there was when the focus was on the moon through branches.   These images reminded me of scenery in a theatre.