Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting, Ouse Fen 28th December 2011 © Simon Stirrup

'The head and shoulders shot shows the ear-tufts well; a plumage feature that is rarely mentioned' SS.

Marsh Tit

Marsh Tit, Wimpole, 31st December 2011 © Gary Thornton

Grey Wagtail

Grey Wagtail, Paxton Pits NR, 29th December 2011 © Phil Cadman

Marsh Tit

Marsh Tit, Paxton pits NR, 29th December 2011 © Phil Cadman

Little Egret

Little Egret, Paxton Pits NR, 29th December 2011 © Phil Cadman

Short-eared Owl

Short-eared Owl, Great Eversden, 27th December 2011 © Stuart Elsom

One of five birds seen this afternoon along the Mare Way

Grey Heron

Grey Heron, Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB, 27th December 2011 © Nigel Sprowell

Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting, Ouse Fen, 26th December 2011 © Jonathan Heath

Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting, Ouse Fen, 24th December 2011 © Jamie Wells

Short-eared Owl

Short-eared Owl, Fen Drayton RSPB, 22nd December 2011 © Garth Peacock

Fieldfare

Fieldfare, Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB, 22nd December 2011 © Garth Peacock

Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting, Ouse Fen, 20th December 2011 © Nigel Sprowell

Bittern

Bittern, Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB, 20th December 2011 © Colin Brown

Kestrel

Female Kestrel, Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB, 20th December 2011 © Colin Brown

Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting, Ouse Fen, 19th December 2011 © Simon Stirrup

Kestrel

Female Kestrel, Fowlmere RSPB, 19th December 2011 © Gary Thornton

Redwing

Redwing, Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB, 18th December 2011 © Nigel Sprowell

Fieldfare

Fieldfare, Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB, 18th December 2011 © Nigel Sprowell

Hen Harrier

Female Hen Harrier, Fowlmere RSPB, 18th December 2011 © Gary Thornton

Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting, Ouse Fen RSPB, 18th December 2011 © Richard Bayldon

Seasons Greetings

...and thank you to all contributors and followers of this blog  - Garth Peacock

Wigeon

Wigon, Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB, 15th December 2011 © Colin Brown

Little Egret

Little Egret, Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB, 15th December 2011 © Colin Brown

Blue Tit

Blue Tit, Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB, 15th December 2011 © Colin Brown

Bittern

Bittern, Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB, 15th December 2011 © Colin Brown

Fieldfare

Fieldfare, Fen Drayton RSPB, 15th December 2011 © Colin Brown

Redwing

Redwing, Fen Drayton RSPB, 15th December 2011 © Colin Brown

Hen Harrier

Female Hen Harrier, Fowlmere RSPB, 14th December 2011 © Brian Herdman
'Identification of ring-tail harriers can be a challenge, but this photo clearly shows five distinct primaries in the wing tip, identifying the bird as a hen harrier (four primaries are visible on Montagu's and pallid). Furthermore, this bird can be aged as an adult (i.e. at least one year old or more) because two ages of secondaries can be seen; a bird born this year should not have moulted any flight feathers, which would therefore all look the same age. See Forsman, D. (1999) The Raptors of Europe and the Middle East. Poyser, London.' Doug Radford who submitted the photo on Brian's behalf.

Aythya Hybrid

Possible Pochard/Tufted Duck Hybrid, Barleycroft, November 2011 © Richard Thomas

'While we're on plastic hybrids, here's a presumed Pochard x Tuftie drake I photographed at Barleycroft in November.' RT  - Posted at current date for comparative purposes - GP

Aythya Hybrid

Possible Ring-necked/Tufted Duck Hybrid, Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB, 13th December 2011 © Richard Thomas
'An interesting drake Aythya hybrid this am in the southwest corner of Ferry
Lagoon. Although not as clear-cut as some Ring-necked x Tuftie examples on the web (bill
pattern not very striking, hardly any white along flanks edges), my money would
be on it being this hybrid combination given its head shape and grey flanks.' RT

Short-eared Owl

Short-eared Owl, Fen Drayton RSPB, 9th December 2011 © Nigel Sprowell

Treecreeper

Treecreeper, Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB, 1st December 2011 © Kevin Robson