Were up at Wicken Fen today. You get here along a narrow cut off the tiny Reach Lode. I guess a lot of boats baulk at the idea of going up such a narrow waterway, but in fact its a sight easier than the Wendover Arm of the GU and a lot less weedy than the good old Slough Arm.Wicken is a National nature reserve run by the National Trust and as you might expect it is bursting with wildlife. The bloke at the visitor centre told us that in one small area near the buildings there are over 800 species of creature! That includes all sorts of insects of course.
They even have nettles here that don't sting. Not your common deadnettle, but a spcial fen nettl looking very like a stinger.
The wild flowers and birds were what we enjoyed. Taking photos of birds etc is never easy but here are my feeble attempts at some things we saw today.
A marsh harrier
A common tern (seen everywhere of course and not just here, but I liked this pose)
A wasps nests in a birdwatching hide.
And photo of the day, a wren at her nest in another hide
3 comments:
Great photos, Neil. If ever I try to photograph a bird in flight it usually comes out as a speck in the distance. One thought: aren't hides for the humans, not the birds?
Fantastic photos Neil! I never realised there was still so much real natural countryside in that part of the UK. I like Halfie's comment too...hides are for the birds now hey?
We were up that way last year. My report is at http://narrowboat.sports.officelive.com/2008_07_05.aspx
Brian
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