First trip out with the lensball to a specific location – the public art installation at Tubney Fen just before you get to the Reach Bridge over Reach Lode that takes you into Burwell Fen and thence Wicken Fen. The sculpture, as I mentioned in an earlier blog post shows a fen skater, an eel catcher, and an entomologist with a butterfly net, all important historical and perhaps still even contemporary fenland characters.
The main purpose of today’s trip was a long walk with Mrs Sciencebase, a chance to see Short-eared Owls (might have seen one in the distance) and a pub lunch (The excellent Maid’s Head in Wicken, served the purpose given that The Anchor in Burwell was closed for a private wake.
The birding list for today’s visit to Tubney, Burwell, and Wicken Fen included: Pale Common Buzzard (not Rough-legged, sadly), Kestrel, Short-eared Owl (possible), Whooper Swan, Mute Swan, Shoveler, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Greylag Geese, Canada Geese, Starling, Carrion Crow, Rook, Jackdaw, Lapwing, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Black-headed Gull, Stonechat, Reed Bunting, Meadow Pipit, Fieldfare, Redwing, Skylark, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Blackbird, Wren, Robin, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Linnet, Magpie, Mallard, Wigeon, Tufted Duck, Wood Pigeon, House Sparrow, Domestic Dove.