The past few days here in Suffolk have been wet, to put it mildly. I think the Fens are trying to reclaim the land, and judging by some floods on the local roads, they were doing pretty well. The BBQ planned for Sunday ended up being what one could describe as "An indoor occasion" with OH valiantly prodding the occasional sausage and kebab on the coals under a large golfing umbrella (won as a prize years ago and suddenly with a use!). Monday continued in the same wet manner, but, undaunted we set off for a trundle along the Fen and Breck byways just to get some fresh air and see if anything was as mad as us and was out and about.
Good old Wild-life, it didn't fail us. The Brecks provided us with some excellent views of a pair of curlews who were calling and stomping about in the rough heather and grass. Got a lovely view of an Oystercatcher wandering around on an onion field. We see quite a few of these in the area these days - have they always been quite common inland on arable fields or is this an increasingly common sight?
There was the inevitable selection of LBJs too, plus larks and one bird which I keep hearing but not seeing...... It has a repeat call of 4 notes in a descending sequence delivered from a tree in mixed woodland. My mission in life now being to find out what it is so I must try to get a recording to see if anyone here can help.
Moved on to the Fens. The rain had slowed to a steady light drizzle with intermittant moments of dryness, during which time the local swallows and house martins treated us to some of their aerobatic skills as they shot along the small drainage ditches a few feet below the road level so that we were looking down at them. At the end of their run they would swoop upwards and almost into the car before banking and dropping down for a return foray.
Further along we paused at a spot where we were lucky enough to see the cranes last week...... but they didn't put in an appearance this time, probably preferring a less windswept part of the Fen. However, I suddenly spotted a few birds in the air mobbing another........ grabbed the bins and there was a beautiful male marsh harrier quartering the far edge of the field. He drifted off to the left but a few minutes later a second bird (presumably the female) flew in from the right and landed out of view. The male returned several minutes later, again mobbed. I took a few shots despite him being well out of range and the light being appalling and when studied on screen at home the silhouettes show that he is carrying something. Unfortunately he too dropped from sight.
A little further on we were greeted by this little chappie on a fence.
I think it's a whitethroat - perhaps someone can confirm? Again, apologies for the grim quality but it was raining again and the shot was taken through a car window, dodging the wipers!
Time was marching on by now, so we turned and started to head for home, dodging the swallows again, then OH jammed on the brakes and grabbed the camera. A mere few yards away, totally unconcerned and happily on vole-patrol was this... (again, sorry they are a bit grainy but it was awful light)
We watched him/her (?) for a good 5 minutes before he decided to move on and drifted gently away up the water course.
What a brilliant end to the day that was!!
and great photo's of the owl doing what owls do 
Linear Mode
