Work, rest and play...

Unfortunately it is my turn to work boxing day this year, I am also working the 27th to get 'my bit' out of the way. The two good things that come from this is christmas off next year and two days in lieu to be taken off in the first week back at work giving me a few days to add some species to the patchbirding list nice and early.

A few December moths have been attracted to the security light recently- the nights have been so mild lately, warmer than many of this 'summers' nights, may have to put a moth trap in the garden this evening if the rain holds off.

Today I managed to get out of the office to check cattle and to check on the state of the paths (River was flooding over the path on the way to Tower Hide still) On my wonderings I managed to bump into 4 Waxwings sittling nicely in a tree along sandy wall, looking fantastic in the sunlight, a Bittern decided to do a flyby and an Otter swan across in front of Fen Hide as well as at least 12 Marsh harriers playing in the wind. Not bad for an hours check of cattle! I then managed to complete the majority of my paperworkso rewarded myself by going to reception hide.
I sat in reception as dusk approached to see if there were many harriers coming to roost, and was greeted by a chinese water deer just in front of the hide, a kingfisher perched on the fish refuge and a couple of water rails battling for territory just in front of the hide. Marsh harriers were always tricky to count as they were behind the block of scrub but I managed to get up to about 14 birds, then another large raptor flew accross the fen, at first I thought it was a MR flying slightly oddly/moulting, but then soon realised the shape of the long tail and flappy wings- a Red Kite, more of a spring/summer bird the fen, this was my first in December. Finally as the harriers were all floating about a stunning male Hen Harrier came into by binocular view, as always the bird did not hang around and just shot through the fen heading South, a cracking bird all the same though.

So as far as 'days in the office' go it was quite a rewarding one, good to get some work done and see some decent wildlife, hopefully there will be more of the same today, think I'd better sweep out the hides, do a litter pick and check on the water levels today.... well someone's got to do it!