A day out on the Wash

Our planned early start was not achieved when I overslept but we made up the time as the Saturday traffic was light and arrived on the washes in Cambridgeshire to be greeted by a Peregrine flushing the wader flock as we left the car. At least 400 Black-tailed Godwit with 30 Ruff and 10 Golden Plover noted among them and the same disturbance flushed a good number of Wigeon and Shoveler. With plenty of water still hanging around from the winter floods in some areas of the wash we found Pochard, Pintail, Gadwall and eventually the male Ring-necked Duck with a few Tufted Duck but despite our efforts we could not find any Garganey which we were hoping for. Birds of Prey were represented by the above mentioned Peregrine plus 12 Marsh Harrier, 6 Buzzard and 3 Red Kite. Other sightings included 8 Common Crane, booming Bittern, 2 Cettie’s Warbler, 8 Little Egret and good numbers of Mute Swan and Shelduck. A good days birding topped up with a visit to the pub for a well-earned pint and a large packet of their homemade crisps-magic.