Trip reports

MANSFIELD GROUP'S FIELD TRIP TO OUSE WASHES AND WELNEY WILDFOWL AND WETLANDS RESERVE ON 3rd FEBRUARY 2008

Thursday, 7 February 2008

The serious flooding that had occurred at Welney had subsided somewhat by the time of our visit, therefore saving us time and money as we did not have to make the 30 mile detour from Ouse Washes to Welney.

50 people made the journey, a record number for our Group! The weather could have been better, with the wind being the main problem, making the hides feel like Arctic wind tunnels.

Due to the wind and water, this was not the longest list of birds, but these were the highlights:

Whooper Swan, Bean Goose, Pintail, Scaup, Redshank and scores of Collared Doves sitting in a tree close to the feeding station.

At the feeding station at Ouse Washes, Chaffinches out numbered the other species, among which were Greenfinch, Reed Bunting, Tree Sparrow and Yellowhammer. It was rewarding to sit and watch these birds at close range, all coming into their full breeding plumage.