Saturday 22 January 2022

Burwell Fen - Now And Then

Burwell Fen is indeed a place that we visit now and then. It's also "now and then" in the sense that, after I've shown you a handful of photos that I took yesterday, I'll unveil a few pictures from back in October when it looked a little different. And thirdly, although all the photos show the way the area looks these days, I can also remember how it looked long ago. So here we go: Burwell Fen - Now And Then.



Right next to the rough, semi-official car park that stands at the end of a long, bumpy track down to Priory Farm, there is a woodpile that for the last year or two has served as home for a Little Owl. I mentioned him/her many months ago but didn't get a photo, so made sure I got one yesterday afternoon.



Actually there were two owls present, though this one is not so obvious (it's right in the middle of the picture). It's amazing how effectively they are camouflaged among the old logs. They stand just 8 inches (20 cm) tall and presumably must hunt over the surrounding area, but they spend a huge amount of time just perched on their logpile, sometimes obvious, sometimes hidden.



Out on the fen it's much harder to hide and large numbers of waterbirds, mostly Wigeon, were on the flooded areas. This in turn attracts birds of prey like Marsh Harriers and the occasional Peregrine.



There are several Travellers' sites around the Fens, attracted here originally by the seasonal work in agriculture. These days they're more likely to travel in Transit vans than horse-drawn wagons, though they still retain their love of horses.



When I first knew this land it was all given over to agriculture and there would have been farm buildings in the middle of the picture above, but since then it's been bought up by the National Trust and is being returned to something like the Fens were before they were drained; all very much to the taste of wildlife.



Although we didn't see all the birds we'd hoped for, there were plenty of Roe Deer. But now lets skip back to October....



Rather more colourful, though less watery, I'm sure you'll agree. We also got better views of some of the animals that are kept here for conservation grazing, including this strapping fellow...



...separated from us by a fence, I'm pleased to report. Not that these cattle are particularly aggressive anyway.



The walk around Burwell Fen is a simple triangle about 3 and a half miles in length (5.5 Km) with extensive views throughout. One side is part of a dedicated cycleway and is easy walking, the rest can be a muddy, especially after heavy rain and for most of the winter.



It's one of those places that comes under the category of "beautiful but difficult to photograph, or even to explain, the beauty". If you like wide skies, far-reaching views and a feeling of freedom, then this is the place for you.



It's certainly the place for these Konik ponies who range across a wide area and always look particularly wild when there's a wind blowing their tails and manes. And with that we'll leave Burwell Fen - till next time.



Take care.


33 comments:

  1. Hi John - I love the photos you've got of the Little Owls - thanks for showing them to us. It must be a magical walk ... especially when you've gone off the cycle path ... so quiet, pastoral ... fascinating to see changes ... cheers Hilary

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  2. It's great series, but the proverbial icing on the cake must surely be those two Little Owls. Better to keep your distance from the bull no matter how sweet their temperament is alleged to be!

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  3. I love that photo is the moody sky at the end of the post. A few months makes a huge difference at the fen. The little owl is a great shot and it found such a great home! Good thing the bull was fenced in. Best not to take any chances with one that size.

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  4. Thanks for these photos of the fens...which I read about in several mystery stories. I wonder if those little owls are related to the ground owls that nest in burrows (in Florida was the only place I've seen them.)

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    1. I've just looked up the Burrowing Owl (I presume that's the owl you're referring to) and they do look very similar. They are also in the same genus so about as closely related as two birds from opposite sides of an ocean can be. The Little Owl is also not particularly nocturnal, but does not, as far as I know, use or make burrows. They do use cavities in old trees or even walls for nest sites and seem to love the heaps of logs often left on nature reserves for insects and small mammals to make their homes.

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  5. I love the last photo, it gives a nice perspective of the area. The owls sure do blend in with their surroundings. I seen some owls in photos and it was real hard to find them. Thanks, John.

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  6. As David said the owls were definitely the icing on an already delicious cake. What a delightful area. And hooray for preserving it.

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  7. The photos are a true contrast of then and now. And that owl wasn't the least bit frightened of you?

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    1. I was quite a distance from the owls and also, because they've chosen a spot right next to the car park, they are accustomed to people staring at them through cameras and telescopes.

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  8. The Little Owl is so sweet! You seem to have the most wonderful walking routes.

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  9. Love seeing those little owls on the old logs. Such little beauties they are. It is so interesting to see the light and colors in winter and then to see the light and color from last fall. I am so glad spring is on its way, and we will have a return of that light.

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  10. When I was a child John my friend's father ran a Betting Shop un Lincoln for Laurie Wallis and he lived at Burwell Manor - I once went there with them = they had a huge mulberry trree in the garden. My only memory of the place - would be about 1946 but as he would obviously wish to live somewheree near Newmarket I expect this is the same area.

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  11. I love the little owls! I'll bet there's a lot of birds in those fens when the water is high.

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  12. It took me a moment to find the little owl.

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  13. Every interesting place. I'm sure you could spend a lot of time there bird watching.

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  14. Those two little owls are delightful - what a splendid find. The bull might not be aggressive, but I would be happier too with a fence between him and me.

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  15. I do love the owls! Bulls make me nervous even with fences. I vote for big skies!

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  16. I will have to look up what type of wet land the fen is.

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    1. The Fens were once a marshy area of about 1,500 square miles in Eastern England. Over the centuries they've been drained so that the rich peat deposits could be exploited for agriculture. Recently there's been a movement to return parts of the Fens to a more natural state to support birdlife etc. Technically the terms "fen", "bog", "marsh" and "swamp" are differentiated by the frequency of flooding and the chemical composition of the water. Fens are flooded with freshwater that has drained off of chalk and similar rocks. The term is still used after the land has been drained.

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  17. I would definitely like that place...I would love the freedom to walk there.

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  18. The little owl is lovely and so well camouflaged. Nice to know some of the fens are being left to go wild again.

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  19. I would love to visit there, even if just to see the Little owls - how cute!
    The Fens are beautiful and it's nice to know at least parts are being returned to their old habitat. The wildlife will be ever grateful, and hopefully children will learn about this wonderful, very different area of England.
    Have a great Sunday John -

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  20. I love seeing all the different animals. Those tiny owls are beautiful. This was a lovely walk. Enjoy your day, hugs, Edna B.

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  21. Good to see that the wildlife is coming back. How wonderful to see the little owls who live in the log pile!

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  22. Wonderful place! It took me some time to see the little owl in the first two pictures. It was probably quite a challenge to photograph it.

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  23. Wonderful photos, great to spot the Little Owls:)

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  24. Enjoyed all the wildlife in this post, John, the little owls were a favorite, as well as the ponies which reminded me of the wild horses we used to see on Chincoteague Island when we lived in VA.

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  25. La naturaleza es prodigiosa y has hecho muy bellas fotografías.

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  26. It is good that it is being turned back into its original state. It is beautiful and so are your photos but I know what you mean about being hard to capture the beauty, It is the same in Outback Australia.

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  27. A wonderful stroll through some lovely countryside, now I'm ready to have a nice cuppa tea and a toasted buttered crumpet!

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  28. Hi John, just checking in to see if there was a new post here. I miss your photos. I hope all is well for you. Take care there.

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  29. Oh those teeny little owls!

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  30. What a wonderful capture of the lovely little owl, I think I would have missed it, it's very well camouflaged.

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