Tuesday, December 19, 2006

The number of Stonechat on the Nene Washes has reached a minimum of 38, the highest since the major population increase of winter 2001/02 when 47 were counted

Monday, December 18, 2006

This rather ill looking Barn owl was seen on a fence line at March Farmers mid-morning, it did eventually fly a short distance, though i guess its not long for this world. This Kestrel was hunting from horse-back, a new behavioural sighting for me. It returned to the same horse several times, the horse seemed oblivious.
Another sunset west from the south barrier bank at Eldernell

Saturday, December 16, 2006

Bewick's swan - a group flying within 100mtrs of the March Prison wind turbine!?

Friday, December 08, 2006

Bewicks feeding on suger beet tops. This flock of 369 contained 64 juveniles.

One of the swans in the flock has a blue neck collar and was first sighted on the Nene Washes in January 1997, again in January 1998 and January 2000, having been caught in Russia and ringed as a juvenile in 1993 and subsequently caught in 1996 when its neck collar was fitted. Most winters it is sighted on the Ouse Washes but sometimes it spends the whole winter on the continent mainly in Holland.
Whooper swan one main flock of 179 present near march Farmers - again on beet tops.


Thursday, December 07, 2006

This weeks full moon rising over the B1040 pools (known as the town fifties). The high tides that are associated with the twice monthly cycle can cause the Nene to flood providing heavy rain has fallen in the catchment. In spite of the storms in recent weeks we are yet to see such an event.
Icelandic Black-tailed godwits have arrived on the reserve's artificial floods near Eldernell, some 760 are currently present having been displaced, by deep flooding, from the nearby Ouse Washes.