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| Could that be sunshine in the horizon? |
Ever watched the movie Groundhog Day? Well it feels like that for me every Wednesday lately. As I walked to Strumpshaw early this morning, it was dull but dry. I was thinking it was going to be a good day. However, as I was making my way to Fen Hide, the rain arrived and it was breezy. Not again!! Another wet and windy Wednesday was on the cards, but thankfully, the weather did clear up as the morning went on. Oh how I missed the sun on a Wednesday! No rain. No wind. Just blue skies and sunshine peeking through the rain clouds.
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| Mute Swans |
During my time sheltering from the rain at the Fen Hide, there weren't much to see in the lifting light of dawn apart from three Chinese water deer chasing each other and shaking off the worst of the rain from their coats, a couple of marsh harriers having the odd aerial tussle as one invades the other's space and a couple of sleepy mute swans snoozing through the morning's showers.
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| Chinese Water Deer |
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| Marsh Harrier |
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| Treecreeper |
Once the weather improved, I made a short walk around the woods. Bullfinches were being elusive as usual and I could hear them calling on and off with the odd brief glimpse of a white rump as one flits away. The treecreepers are now singing their high pitched trill and I could see them spiralling up the tree trunks and branches like little avian mice. Goldcrests were also showing well as they hop between the ivy leaves at a speed that left me trailing behind with my camera trying to focus on it. Meanwhile, by the railway line, a din of what sounded like a hundred or so calling siskins and goldfinches carried quite a distance from the trees surrounding the track.
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| Blackbird |
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| Goldcrest |
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| Robin |
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| Coal Tit |
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| Pheasant |
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| A scene of Ducks |
From Reception Hide, there were a lot of ducks out on the broad this morning. Mallards and gadwalls dominated the numbers game with shovelers making a close third, while only a handful of teal were visible amongst the masses of the other duck species. There was even a pair of shelduck joining them for a while, up until a marsh harrier flew too close over the broad and spooked them off. The raptors were pretty active today as I counted at least 5-6 marsh harriers, a buzzard and a kestrel. A surprisingly good bird-filled day, despite the wet start earlier on. Now fingers crossed that next Wednesday doesn't end up being wet and windy, too!
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| Mallard |
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| Gadwall |
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| Shoveler |
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| Shelducks |
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| Marsh Harrier |
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| Buzzard |
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