Devil's Dyke

I was surprised how different the soil on Devil's Dyke is from the surrounding land and I spent a pleasant hour or so this morning on the chalk ridge, photographing its wildlife.   For a first visit I was impressed and will enjoy returning when it is less windy and will hope to see more Chalkhill Blue butterflies.

 Growing up on the edge of the Cotswolds meant that these flowers and samples of insect life were some of the first I ever noticed and it's a delight to find again such examples on chalky soil near a subsequent home.

Clayhithe

A couple of images from this morning's walk.   The Great Crested Grebe was very close to where I had seen a couple displaying earlier in the season and where there is a nest (with 3 eggs in it I'm told).   I hope to be able to follow the progress of this brood and get some images of young being carried on a parent's back in due course.   As to the identification of the fish.............

The Kestrel had spent quite some time hovering before swooping down but leaving without prey.

Research Park Walk on a foggy morning

These images show how variable the weather can be in April.   Later in the day the sun came out and the temperature rose.

I don't think it will ever be possible to get a decent photograph of a Skylark in flight.   Not only is it quite a small bird, Skylarks are never close enough and constantly on the move and changing altitude.

The Canada Geese often have a lot to say when in flight, in pairs!   The field they were flying into also had a larger number of Greylag Geese.

Birds in Worts Meadow, Landbeach

Although I have taken a camera out with me when I've had chances to walk the dogs, I haven't been getting images ready for this blog though!   It was wonderful to see a Swallow this morning and I enjoyed speculating as to whether these wires were its first 'touch down' since leaving warm climes as far away as Africa!

The Blackcap's song attracted my attention, but not the background against which it was sitting!   The Chiffchaff was better placed with the lichen reflecting the colour of its feathers and the inside of its bill.    Not too many pixels in evidence - just record shots.

 

Goosander at Clayhithe

I had to identify this bird on getting home and was delighted to find it is a Goosander.   I'm not sure that The Cam downstream of Clayhithe is a typical stretch of water on which to find a Goosander at this time of year.   There was no sign of a female, but I shall check out this stretch of water again before too long.   It is the same stretch of water that the pair of Great Crested Grebes are inhabiting - and they were there again this morning (although no courtship display indicated).

Male Mallard in Flight

It was quite a cold morning, but very still and sunny.   I tend not to give enough attention to photographing the more usual birds on the waterways in the Fens, but I was glad to have tracked this male Mallard in flight.

Great Crested Grebes, Clayhithe

I was hoping to see Great Crested Grebes displaying, and the classic pose seems to be when they display with vegetation in their mouths.   It is clear these two are a pair as they are carrying nesting materials but didn't get into quite the classic pose, although they were very close to it.   Must mean I need to go back there again...........

 Good to see a male Reed Bunting having a morning sing.

Barn Owls, Welney

The weather was glorious with little wind and a blue sky - perfect for a winter trip to Welney.   Miles and I were expecting our attention to be drawn to the swans but instead we spent a happy hour enjoying a Barn Owl fly up and down a drainage ditch between the bridge and hides.    The later images are of a second Barn Owl which passed through without quartering - it isn't ringed!   We saw no evidence of either bird having caught anything to eat.

The final photograph is of two Redshanks, perhaps a pair, caught in the evening light.

Wicken Fen - Cock-up Bridge

Only time for a short walk today, but enjoyable nevertheless on a chilled, clear day.   There wasn't that much to see, and certainly not close at hand.  A tripod sometimes seems an encumbrance, but it is so necessary, particularly when the wildlife is at a distance, and I didn't have one today!   Still, a Blue Tit feeding was close enough.

Two Shovelers, one needing to have a scratch

Blue Tit enjoying a winter feed

Not often does a bird fly towards the camera, but this Fieldfare did!

Quy Fen - winter morning

The temperature for the whole of the walk was below freezing which created an atmospheric mist hanging over the field which was being ploughed.   Nearby there was plenty of agricultural activity with the collection of sugar beet involving a fleet of lorries, starting with someone filling a hopper which was filling a conveyor belt which was filling the lorries with the beet.   And then off to the A10 and/or A14 to the sugar factory either at Wissington or Bury St Edmunds I would guess.

Quy Fen was frozen in the main and provided some attractive landscapes with powerful cloud reflections.