Nene Wash and Union of Souh Africa

With winds gusting to 47mph overnight we set out for Cambridgeshire knowing that due to the re-timing of the Cathedrals Express steam excursion from Peterborough to Oxford we would either miss her or only see her in the dark so we were more interested in getting to the Nene Wash while it was still dark hoping to be in time for any owls that were still hunting and the rain to stop. Might have made the train if there were not so many speed restrictions about but it paid off at the Eldernell car park as dawn broke with 2 Barn Owls hunting in front of us being battered by the conditions and joined by a Short-eared Owl briefly. Lots of Whooper Swans leaving their roost and heading for the fields along the A605 where over 500 were counted later and thousands of Wood Pigeons also leaving their roost.. Female Hen Harrier made a brief appearance. After breakfast in the Big Chill we hunkered down and froze our bits off waiting for LNER Class A4 No 6009 Union of South Africa as she passed Turves. Did not disappoint though despite blue sky’s my images were a bit dull. Gave March Farmers a look but little water and too much disturbance from ditch digger so went back to Eldernell where unfortunately work on the dyke walls means you can’t get on to any high ground but we did have better views of the female Hen Harrier and a Red Kite.

over twenty foot river, Turves

Dave photo bombed me pic

bye bye