New views on the washes looking west - Mc cains "chip" factory, hanson brickworks and 3 new wind turbines, not forgetting the electricity pylons, and last but not least the setting sun.

American mink -slightly blurred picture, they have poor eyesight, hence this pic taken at 4meters distance and not disturbed by me, though when hunting as this animal was they never seem to stop moving. still a rare photo opportunity

Pics from Fam Holiday to Sicily

Scarlet Darter

Plain Tiger

Queen of spain fritillary - seen 3000mtrs up Mount Etna attracted to bare steaming Lava.
Large Wall Brown
Bath White
Pigmy or Mediteranean Skipper
Plain Tiger

Southern White Admiral
Swallowtail
Two-taile Pasha - amazing

Long tailed blue - abundant around Mt Etna

Record shots of juvenile Purple heron on the Low Wash, taken at c100mtrs in the wind

Todays release of Corncrakes onto the Nene Washes brought this years total to 77, we are well on target to release over 100 this year.

2 juvenile Black Tailed Godwits. note the difference in neck tone (perhaps the male/female characteristics can show through even at this age?)
flock of 26 Little Egrets, the washes record was broken (a weekly occurence lately) on monday when I counted 35 together around one of the last remaining pools.

Wilsons phalarope, female on the Nene Washes, alongside a Dunlin first seen flying overhead at 15:00 then watched settle onto the pool opposite Holly tree farm. Surely the same bird that was present at Grafham Water until yesterday evening. Also present 1 Turnstone, 6 Dunlin and 1 greenshank.

First mute swans hatch out, this pair has 2 polish (white morph) amongst 7 cygnets. The polish bird is the washed out one, as opposed to the normal grey colour of the bird on left.

grey herons, feeding on trapped fish, thers no escaping these formidable predators
A record shot of a male Bar tailed godwit, one of 24 today.

This common crane arrived from the east. fed for 1/2hr on flooded pools and then I'm not sure where it went. my 3rd record in 11 years, always a special sight.

2 little egrets feeding on drying out pools

one of 3 black bellied plover - grey plover is the wrong name when in this amazing plumage

good numbers of Oystercatcher along the washes, enjoying the large flooded pools, today I saw one with a large worm - the first time i've seen one with a prey item.

passage fieldfares stop over to feed on the moist pasture.

male lapwing

from -10 windchill to +16 in one week, confusing for us sapiens, it has'nt slowed down nature. With the floods receeding fast revealing the jewel that is the Nene Washes - all waders are currently displaying vigorously. Migrant marsh harriers have arrived in numbers, first avocets have been seen, mallard are already sitting on eggs where only 2 weeks ago the land was under water.

Flooded washland at Lords Holt

following the rain on Friday and sunday and the full moon (creating high tides) the washlands are now operating in their role as flood release mechanism for the Lower river Nene, this protects areas of peterborough and surrounding farmland.

Mole escaping the flood
Gulls feasting on the mass movement of insects, worms and voles

male Shelduck

Lunar eclipse on Saturday night. I was alerted to this eclipse whilst watching Spanish football at 10:30pm, the camera showed it at half time so I quickly went outside to enjoy it myself. The extent of the eclipse reached approx 9/10'ths, progressively turning fiery orange on its underside.

Its that time of year again where Merlins can be seen frequently on the Nene Washes. They utilise the drove gateways as perches and can allow close approach when in a tractor or other vehicle. They appear to be hunting the spring arrival of Meadow pipits and Reed Buntings though I have seen them take Dunlin.

Weasal - taken from the truck was investigating rabbit burrows at Eldernell.

Group of 7 Roe deer, seemingly established on the Washes!
The number of wild swans has increased this week with around 260 Whoopers and 650 Bewick's. 2 of the bewicks had recently been fitted with yellow neck collars in Holland. One was on Texel until Jan 1st, it arrived in the UK on 2nd or 3rd, being seen at Catfield, Norfolk on 3rd and here at the Nene washes on 22nd. Many birds are now feeding on the washland grass particularly at Eldernell, others are feeding on waste potatoes, beet tops or winter wheat.