Day Out in Cambridgeshire

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We spent a gloriously sunny day in Cambridgeshire on Friday starting at The National Trust's Anglesey Abbey, Gardens & Lode Mill. A Jacobean-style house with gardens and a working watermill. A passion for tradition and impressing guests inspired one man to transform a run-down country house and desolate landscape. At the age of 30, the future Lord Fairhaven began to create his first home. Wanting to inspire and surprise visitors, he created a spectacular garden with planting for all seasons and a cosy house in which to entertain. Life revolved around horse racing and shooting, and guests enjoyed 1930s luxury.

Inside: fine furnishings, books, paintings, silver, and rare clocks give a feeling of opulence. Outside: 46 hectares (114 acres) offer vibrant colour, delicious scents, and the simple pleasures of nature.

It is a beautiful place to visit and today there were many who did, I'm also sure that in a few more weeks as more flowering plants appear it will be even more spectacular.

Scilla luciliae or Lucile's glory-of-the-snow with Daffodils

Scilla luciliae or Lucile's glory-of-the-snow

Dark-edged bee-fly

Scilla luciliae or Lucile's glory-of-the-snow amongst Silver Birch trees

Scilla luciliae or Lucile's glory-of-the-snow

Scilla luciliae or Lucile's glory-of-the-snow amongst Silver Birch trees

Lode Mill

Looking back towards the mill

View looking out from the top of the mill

The Raptor Foundation

At the Raptor Foundations, their aims have always been, firstly to rescue, rehabilitate and return injured birds of prey back to the wild and secondly to protect and preserve them through education and conservation. By visiting them, you are supporting the very important work that they do and helping birds of prey across the world.

I know I'm not a fan of seeing birds behind wire, but at least here some are there for a number of reasons that they can not be returned to the wild and are being used to educate. Now to the flying display, if I'm honest it failed a little, with birds just not playing ball by either flying off, not moving or returning to their aviary. At least the Peregrine Falcon saved the day (as they often do) with a fast at times low-level fly past and occasional stoops.

Harris Hawk

The Harris's hawk, formerly known as the bay-winged hawk or dusky hawk, and known in Latin America as peuco, is a medium-large bird of prey that breeds from the southwestern United States south to Chile, central Argentina, and Brazil. Birds are sometimes reported at large in Western Europe, especially Britain, but it is a popular species in falconry and these records almost certainly all refer to escapes from captivity.

Bateleur Eagle

The Bateleur Eagle, also known simply as the Bateleur, is a medium-sized eagle and the only member of the genus Terathopius. It has long wings and a very short tail, making it unmistakable in flight. Spending much of the day soaring, it hunts over a territory of 250 square miles (650km). The adult male has black plumage except for the chestnut mantle and tail, grey shoulders, and red facial skin, bill, and legs.

Peregrine Falcon

The peregrine is a large and powerful falcon. It has long, broad, pointed wings and a relatively short tail. It is blue-grey above, with a blackish top of the head and an obvious black 'moustache' that contrasts with its white face. Its breast is finely barred. It is swift and agile in flight, chasing prey.

The strongholds of the breeding birds in the UK are the uplands of the north and west and rocky seacoasts. Peregrines were at a low point in the 1960s due to human persecution and the impact of pesticides in the food chain. Improved legislation and protection has helped the birds to recover and they have now expanded into many urban areas.

Peregrine

Ely Cathedral

Ely Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, is an Anglican cathedral in the city of Ely, Cambridgeshire, England. The cathedral has its origins in AD 672 when St Etheldreda built an abbey church. The present building dates back to 1083, and it was granted cathedral status in 1109.

part of Ely Cathedral

Lovely to see the canon supporting Ukraine

The cathedral is a stunning building it is a shame I could only show part of it here, definitely needs a longer visit. A nice touch having the canon in Ukraine's colours with flowers placed inside it.

Bowers Marsh

Walked around the rspb reserve Bowers Marsh today near Pitsea. Glorious sunshine made it a pleasant stroll. Managed to see at least four Mediterranean Gulls possibly two pairs but too far away to photograph. Good numbers of Avocet present of which I'm sure some will stay to breed. Fabulous to hear good numbers of Skylarks singing a sure sign that spring is just beginning.

A pair of Marsh Harrier were present and I'd just sat on a bench with a sandwich in my hand when the male decided to give me a fairly close flyby. I did manage to swap sandwich for the camera and take a couple of shots.

Avocet feeding on the saline lagoon

Avocet on the saline lagoon

male Marsh Harrier interrupted my lunch

male Marsh Harrier

Skylark just look at those hind claws!

Skylark just look at those hind claws!

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Red-crested Pochard at Eastbrookend Country Park

 A pair of Red-crested Pochard were found today at Eastbrookend Country Park almost a year to the day that I found a pair very close to where these are. And that is after an absence of a number of years!

pair Red-crested Pochard

male Red-crested Pochard

pair Red-crested Pochard

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Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury

Went yesterday for a walk along the River Thames at Coalhouse Fort and East Tilbury. A sunny day but with a biting cold south easterly breeze. Many waders feeding out on the exposed mudflats as the tide was well out. Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Curlew, and Grey Plover.

Grey Plover

My highlight though was a Little Ringed Plover flying around and over the new scrape which is east of the fort and looks good with plenty of islands some shingle-covered. Little Ringed Plover comes here to breed in the spring and summer and this was my earliest ever sighting by eight days!

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