My Bird Watching Weekend

Saturday Afternoon at RSPB Ouse Fen Nature Reserve near March.

I organise a Bird Watch/Nature Walking Group and I have been looking for new places to go in this area, so a friend of mine named Sharon suggested I try the Ouse Fen Nature Reserve. She lives quite close by so I set off to meet her and go somewhere new. I picked her up at her house and we set off for the reserve. I had absolutely no idea where I was going but my friend was very patient and helpful and we eventually made it to the reserve. Some of the roads are very bumpy so if you do go be careful the way you drive. 

We parked the car and made our way up the banks in front of us, I could see about 3 or 4 hides for us to go and sit in and watch the wildlife and birds. The hides were all very comfortable but because of all the recent rainfall the reserve was flooded. Something that they are trying to sort out at the reserve because there should have been a river and riverbank in front of us but it was under the water.

We did however see various birds, a huge group of Teal, Swans and a Dabchick continually diving under the water in front of us in search of a meal. Then Sharon spotted a Green Woodpecker in front of water digging up the ground, we watched it for ages, it seemed to be digging for England. It had beautiful colouring and was apparently digging for Ants which it loves to eat.

We then left for the next hide and saw a bird of prey in the distance, we were not sure what it was but it could have been a Merlin because of the way it was flying and it also had a white underbelly which stood out in the light. 

Ouse Washes has a problem with flooding but the RSPB are working on it and hoping to be able to control the water level which will help all the wildlife and bird life to grow in the area.

Sunday Morning at RSPB Rye Meads, Hoddesdon

I arrived at Rye Meads, parked the car and walked into the Centre, the staff are really friendly and told me what wildlife was about or had been about the past few days. 

I then met up with a friend who was coming along for a walk with me. He has never seen a Kingfisher and they have a resident Kingfisher at Rye Meads so I was hoping that he would see it. 

We took a leisurely stroll around and found the first hide, we sat for a while and saw Dabchick, loads of Shoveller Ducks, Teal and a Heron flying over the Hide. Once again because of the rainfall the water level was very high and where you usually get some small islands for the waders there wasn't any at all. We also saw a lot of Tufted Duck in the distance.

We continued on to each hide and at the third one we saw a lot of birds on islands in the distance, after a closer inspection I spotted a pair of Oystercatchers, they were a little way off so I was unable to get a picture of them unfortunately. There were a lot of Teal Ducks on the same Island.

After a short stroll we went on to the Kingfisher Hide, in hope that my friend would see one at last. We sat for a while and watched a lot of different birds, a Redwing on the far bank, a huge flock of Long Tailed Tits which were constantly flittering around in the trees but alas no Kingfisher. 

I did a meet a very nice couple who were keen wildlife photographers like me, they both had long camera lenses and showed me some of the pictures that they had taken. One in particular impressed me, it was of a Kingfisher and was close up, the Kingfisher was spitting out a pellet and you literally see the Kingfishers tonsils it was that close. They also showed me some other pics that have taken from the Kingfisher hide. They did tell me that the Kingfishers should start nesting at the end of April so I will return with my friend to see a Kingfisher, which I am sure he will thoroughly enjoy.

RSPB Ouse Fen Nature Reserve  (when it is not flooded)
RSPB Ouse Fen Nature Reserve  2
Little Grebe or Diving 1 at The RSPB Ouse Valley Reserve
Little Grebe or Diving 2 at The RSPB Ouse Valley Reserve
Little Grebe or Diving 3 at The RSPB Ouse Valley Reserve
Little Grebe or Diving 4 at The RSPB Ouse Valley Reserve
Tufted Duck at The RSPB Ouse Valley Reserve
Green Woodpecker hunting for ants at The RSPB Ouse Valley Reserve
RSPB Rye Meads reserve at Hoddesdon
A Male Shoveller Duck at Rye Meads

Shoveller Ducks (Male and Female)

Gadwall Duck on the shores at RSPB Rye Meads







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