Ouse Washes - 16 February 2013

Clear blue skies, a gentle south-westerly  breeze and higher temperatures than of late tempted me out to the Ouse Washes for most of the day with a nice long walk from Welches Dam along the Old Bedford River bank northwards past the railway bridge to the pumping station. 

There were good numbers of wild Swans around though most were distant apart from a few close flybys, as expected there were masses of Wigeon though very few Pintail with just 20 counted, c40 Goldeneye, a pair of Goosanders and a pair of Smew were all north of the railway bridge. Waders were restricted to c 280 Golden Plovers in the adjacent fields and a flyover flock of c 200 some with shades of black appearing on their bellies; several Redshank and 2 Ruff. 2 cream crown Marsh Harriers were quartering the reed swamp along the railway embankment and a Short-eared Owl hunted along the farmland edge north of the railway bridge late afternoon. Very few Gulls were noted though a juvenuile Glaucous Gull which flew south along the wash late afternoon was impressive as always. 

The best of the passerines were two Water Pipits which were feeding in an area of mud and vegetation near the railway bridge and flew off high towards the flooded fields on the west side of the river, a male Stonechat, 4 Kingfishers added a splash of colour to the afternoon and 6 Corn Buntings blended well into the buff/brown tones of the arable landscape. 

a typically distant flock of Swans - these were mostly Bewick's

a flight of Wigeon