Dec 20th Strumpshaw Fen

Misty scenes at Strumpshaw this morning

It was a rather murky, grey morning at Strumpshaw today. Not exactly the winter wonderland most people would hope for with Christmas just days away now, but it was still quite atmospheric in a way and there were still some great things to see, that is, if you can see through the gloom. The light was awful, not exactly the best conditions to take photos in and my camera was constantly struggling to focus properly in it. And it also didn't help that most of the wildlife were at a distance where the mist engulfed them. So I apologise for the poor quality in some of the photos shown here.


Misty scenes from Reception Hide

Starlings coming from the far side of the broad

I yet again arrived at Strumpshaw as the starlings were leaving their roost in front of the Reception Hide. However, they were already on the move before I was able to unpack my camera from my bag, so I kind of missed the first wave of starlings leaving the reed beds on the far side of the broad. In the dim light of the almost non-existent dawn, murmurations were forming and the sound they made as they whooshed by was like that of a passing train. I was gutted to not get the camera out in time. Thankfully, a second wave streamed out to join the starlings roosting in the reed bed nearest to me. After a few minutes of waiting and listening to them calling loudly in unison, they too decided it was time to go. I watched them, with my camera at the ready, as they emerged out of the reed bed, over my head and beyond the gates of the reserve. A sight that never gets old and seems to be a regular occurrence to my week lately. A perfect early Christmas present.

Starlings erupting from the reed beds close to the hide

Buzzard

Over at Fen Hide, I spent most of my free time before my shift watching the light brighten just a tad in a span of an hour. On various trees across as far as I could see were birds of prey ranging from sparrowhawks to buzzards to marsh harriers, all of them sitting in full view hoping for the light to improve and for the mist to lift. Some of these raptors, especially the marsh harriers, would soar through the murky landscape in the chance of spotting something to eat somewhere hidden within the mist. A kingfisher, a water rail, a heron, stonechats and two Chinese water deer also made appearances in the gloom. Being much lower down than the raptors in their trees, they were almost completely engulfed in it and were much harder to photograph. After an hour in the hide, I went for a quick walk to the river, spotting a little grebe, before heading back to Reception Hide to start my shift.



Marsh Harriers

Female Sparrowhawk

Black-headed Gull

Chinese Water Deer



Water Rail

Kingfisher

Grey Heron

Stonechat

Blackbird

Misty scenes of the River Yare

 

Cormorant catching a Pike

The mist lifted only slightly while I was at Reception Hide, but it was enough to photograph some of the ducks that were nearer to the hide. These ducks were mostly shovelers and mallards, but there were a few gadwall and teal out on the broad with them as well as a mute swan, Cobber the black swan and a pair of cormorants. One of these cormorants, at one point, managed to lift a good sized pike out of the water for a brief moment. This brought the attention of the other cormorant and it attempted to bully the other for the fish. However, this fight was short lived as the pike was dropped during the confrontation and it escaped to freedom. I also saw plenty of marsh harrier activity, a sparrowhawk showed up a couple of times and there was a Chinese water deer grazing in the clearing at the back of the broad.

Shoveler

Mallards

Coots

Male Sparrowhawk

Marsh Harrier

Receiving my Swift badge

While watching all this wildlife action (and the mist), the Reception Hide was suddenly filled with some of Strumpshaw's staff and other volunteers that were on duty in the office today. They were here for me and brought cake and a special envelope. The way everyone came in for this moment, I was almost expecting a fanfare being played. Inside this envelope was a special badge of a swift that marks 5 years of volunteering at Strumpshaw Fen which came complete with a certificate. It is actually my 6th year at Strumpshaw, but as no one realised I hit the 5 year landmark last year until recently, they decided to give it anyway today. They were meant to hand it out to me at the party last week, but there was a muddle and they accidently left it behind. So it was nice to see everyone turn up for this occasion. I felt special for at least a few minutes. It made me wish I did a speech. Oh well! There's only 4 more years until they hand out my badge for 10 years of service. Plenty of time to come up with that speech.