Feb 20th Strumpshaw Fen

Blossom

Unlike the past two weeks, this morning at Strumpshaw was not quite as bright and sunny. It was rather cloudy with a slight chill in the air. The sun did come out during lunch time, but for most of the morning, it was stuck behind a stubborn cloud. The wildlife, too, were a bit elusive. All of my main highlights for today were camera shy, either playing hard to get or were just too far in the distance for a photo.

Snowdrops

Greylags

First up was a water rail. I was leaving the Fen Hide when I could hear a loud squealing noise coming just a few feet from the hide's steps hidden in some thick reed cover. I could hear it, but not see it, yet the bird could see me as distinct rustling of vegetation indicated me that it was making an escape. Then came the Cetti's warbler. I made a short walk to the sluices along the river trail, when this noisy warbler belted out its loud call from a leafless bush. This time, I could see and hear it as it circled around me hopping from one vegetated cover to the next vegetated cover. From bush to reed bed. The problem was that it was too quick for me and that the cover it was using was obscuring any chance of a clear shot. With time against me, I had to leave the Cetti's warbler to return to the Reception Hide to start my shift.

Pheasant

Coot

Greylags and Coots

At Reception Hide, my luck continued to tease me. When the broad's 50 or so coot and other wildfowl began to panic and evacuated the area, you just knew that an otter was around somewhere. We were suddenly on high alert, watching the birds movements and reactions to figure out where this otter was. Then came the loud cries of "otter!!" It was briefly seen by my colleague and another person adjacent to some mallards on the stubby reed bank to my left using taller reeds as cover. I missed it! Several minutes later, like 10 to 15 minutes later, it was seen again popping its head up by the cormorant post. A couple more minutes of searching later, I finally caught sight of it swimming down the far right channel before climbing up onto land and vanishing completely. This otter was so elusive that there was no chance of a photo.

Shoveler

Gadwall

Teal

White Greylag

Marsh Harrier

Cormorant

And finally, as my shift was nearing its end, I spotted a red kite making its way from left to right as it soared around the reserve. Annoyingly, it too was difficult to photograph as it was too far away!