My idea was to travel back North via Willow Tree Fen for the Cranes, OK it did mean a bit of travelling south first by about 40mins, but would mean a loss of 6mins to home, so decision made then.
Big change from yesterday’s weather were it was nice and bright to a very damp start today. On my travel into Willow Tree Fen I came across Twenty one Whooper Swans settled in a field, so things brightened up, it was still drizzling when I arrived at Willow Tree Fen and to locked gates to the car park, it wasn’t long thou before the voluntary warden showed up to unlock, and looked in disbelieve at someone showing up today. After parking up the rain did stop, looking over the marsh we did manage to to find a few Cranes, I finally picked out seven birds in total, a few did fly off site, which was great to see, long necks and legs, calling with that distinctive Crane sound, beautiful.
Also on site were a few Marsh Harriers along with Common Buzzard, Chaffinch, Collard Dove, Coot, Goldfinch, Mallard, Mute Swan, Shoveler, Snipe.
Back on the road, as I got further North the weather started to brighten up so I decided on calling in at RSPB St Aidan’s on the way for the Black necked Grebes. On arrival at St Aidan’s, my first stopping point of course was the dragline, but again no Little Owl was showing but there was plenty of Stock Dove about. The BN Grebes apparently were frequenting Bowers lake, so I headed off in that direction. I was looking at Great Crested Grebes, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Mute swan, Pochard, Coots and Black headed Gulls and the sound of Bittern, but no BN Grebes, I decided on walking back the way I had come, so I was looking at the opposite lake, it wasn’t long before I picked up on a Black necked Grebe, a bit distant, I watched it for a while and it was eventually joined by another two, not good views due to where they were hanging out amongst a patch of reeds. After that I made my back seeing Reed Bunting, with Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, and Common Buzzard over the hillside.
I was then joined by another group of people who informed me that a Black necked Grebe was making its way around the channel close to the footpath, and heading towards us, I waited and ended up having one of the best wildlife encounters ever, as the Black necked Grebe popped up withing six feet of me, after getting over experience, I did manage a couple of pics, what a moment.
Moving on then down towards the main lake area, seeing Grey Heron , Great White Egret, Lapwing and a Common Redshank, there were a few Gulls down on the main lake, mainly Black headed Gull and Lesser Black backed Gulls. Well the day was drawing to a close, I headed back out towards the visitor centre again, once again seeing the Kestrel hunting over the hillside, with no Little Owl on the dragline, again. Whilst having my usual coffee and cake break, outside this time where i had good views of the feeders, finishing the day off with Greenfinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit and Reed Bunting.
Willow Tree Fen Bird List : Buzzard, Chaffinch, Collard Dove, Coot, Crane, Goldfinch, Mallard, Marsh Harrier, Mute Swan, Shoveler, Snipe, Whooper Swan (12)
St Aidan’s Bird List : Bittern, Blackbird, Black headed Gull, Black necked Grebe, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Cetti’s Warbler, Chiffchaff, Coot, Cormorant, Gadwall, Great Crested Grebe, Great Tit, Great White Egret, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, Kestrel, Lapwing, Lesser Black backed Gull, Little Grebe, Magpie, Mallard, Mute Swan, Pheasant, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Shoveler, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Tufted Duck, Wigeon, Woodpigeon (35)
Black Necked Grebe
Huddsbirder 