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| Misty start at Strumpshaw Fen this morning! |
A foggy start at Strumpshaw today as thick mist covers much of the reserve. At least its not raining. I have been feeling quite under the weather myself this week and I was considering not coming this morning. I have a nasty cold complete with a hot fever and a mild headache. However, I decided to come anyway. Sometimes nature is a great healer. Though there wasn't much to see due to the mist, it was nice to be outside instead of being stuck inside three days straight.
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| Chinese Water Deer in the mist |
During my morning walk, the strange sound of barking Chinese water deer could be heard over by Fen Hide where I saw two grazing amongst the murk. Meanwhile, over in the woods, the drumming of several great spotted woodpeckers provided an extra layer of eeriness to the soundtrack of this misty morning. The mist may have made it hard to photograph wildlife in, but it did look wonderful in the dull light. Also seen while out on my walk, I saw a pair of buzzards and a little egret at Fen Hide and a great crested grebe fishing out on the river.
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| Little Egret |
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| Mute Swan |
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| Great Crested Grebe |
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| Greylag |
By the time I got to Reception Hide to start my shift, the mist had more or less lifted and the broad was now suddenly alive with a large gathering of wildfowl, which weren't there when I arrived a couple of hours before. Greylag geese were once again taking over this once peaceful scene and were causing a raucous as they squabbled with each other. A pair of Canada geese were also amongst this large mass of greylags and were just as noisy at times, though half the time they were preferring to hide behind the reedy islands. The rest of the wildfowl was made up of gadwall and mallards with a pair of wigeon, a shelduck briefly and the odd teal. For a third week in a row, the lone snipe was showing well right in front of the hide. Marsh harriers were also about and a kingfisher made three quick dashes over the broad.
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| Canada Goose |
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| Shelduck |
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| Gadwall |
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| Wigeon |
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| Mallard |
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| Coot |
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| Snipe |
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| Marsh Harrier |
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