Just a few photos today from a recent morning at Kingfishers Bridge nature reserve in the fens just south of Ely. The flat fields of Fenland don't get much credit for their scenery and the farmers are rarely praised for their conservation work, but here is a little island of hope which is all the work of farmer Andrew Green.
At this time of year the fen meadows are full of golden wildflowers. I'm not sure what has sent those distant trees into a premature autumn; they must be under some kind of stress, I would think, though it can't be shortage of water after this damp summer.
That's Purple Loosestrife growing among (probably) Common Fleabane, though I'm not really sure exactly what flowers are there because you can't just go where you like at Kingfishers Bridge. There are electric fences to keep people and predators out of the reserve, though you can walk around the perimeter and there's a hide perched on a small, man-made hill from which you can look out over the whole site.
You can even see Ely Cathedral, some four and a half miles (7.2 km) away. The open water is part of the reserve and that's where the majority of the birds congregate - slightly beyond the range of my modest 'scope and aging eyes!
The land here is kept in shape by a small herd of Konik ponies and a few Water Buffalo. We saw both rather distantly and an incongruous sight they make on the fens of Cambridgeshire. Water Buffalo are particularly useful in the reedbeds where they trample and graze on land too flooded for other animals and men with machines to venture.
They are having considerable success here, both encouraging plants to grow that were almost lost to the fens, as well as allowing birds to breed. It also serves as a stopping off point for migrating birds.
This ancient caravan has been here for a good while and must serve some purpose, though I've no idea how it got here. But would anyone like to guess what's shown in my last picture....?
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While we're in the fens some of you might like to meet Peter Carter, one of the last of the old-time fenmen, who makes a living in the way that people did for generations, before much of the land was drained for agriculture. Here's a short film I found on YouTube:
I hope you can understand his authentic fenland accent.
Take care.
A WWIi pillbox. They came in a variety of shapes and materials hereabouts
ReplyDeleteAll praise to that farmer.
ReplyDeleteI am clueless about that structure and hope you will let us know in your next post.
You have the expertise to pick interesting subjects such as ponies, ancient caravan and ruins of a kitchen stove?
ReplyDeleteIt is said that on a clear day, Ely cathedral can even be seen on the horizon 16 miles away from the roof of King's College Chapel, Cambridge,
ReplyDeleteThumbs up to Rachel.
I've never managed to talk my way on to the roof of King's Chapel, though I know one of my cousins once went there. You can certainly see the Cathedral from Madingley Hill where the American Cemetery stands, and also from the Gogmagog Hills, just SE of Cambridge.
DeleteThe best view of the Cathedral is coming across on the train from March. It really does stand out like the ship of the Fens.
DeleteNo one very close with their guesses so far.
ReplyDeleteSluice?
ReplyDeleteThanks very much for this, John, especially for the video which I found very entertaining, and I had no difficulty understanding the accent. It strikes me that people like Peter who follow the old ways are akin to indigenous people here. They have an enormous storehouse of knowledge and exercise great care of the land, and finally we are beginning to listen to them. They nurture and protect while also extracting and do not simply destroy. Once I was in Staffordshire and attended a ploughing match and there was a demonstration of the ancient art of hedge laying, with a prize and prestige for the best result, and both Miriam and I found it fascinating and watched it for more than an hour and chatted to some of the people doing it. One individual told us that a strapping young fellow there worked “with ‘is muscles and not with ‘is ‘ead, so it’s a rubbish job!” And it was too compared with the others! I should imagine that coppiced woodlands are also gems where ancient techniques are applied to great benefit. As for your mystery object I was about to suggest some kind of field oven, but I think that has already been debunked, so I’ll just have to wait for the answer.
ReplyDeleteI love the walk across the meadow at the back of Ely Cathedral. Lovely photos of the nature reserve. I like the ponies we saw some of those at RSPB Conwy earlier this year. Is the little building a roost for bats perhaps?
ReplyDeleteIs it a bunker of some sort, left over from WWII? That's all I can suggest for that mystery photo. Amazing that you can see Ely from so far away! I am so glad you and Les took us there. Seeing our great- uncles' names on those giant wood tablets honoring WWI soldiers was truly touching, and why I had to go to France to see their graves.
ReplyDeleteThe video is absolutely brilliant. What a man. What a life. Eel heads for finger puppets!
Is it an entrance to a burial mound?
ReplyDeleteInteresting character that Eel Man. Would have liked to see some eels he caught. What year was that video made?
ReplyDeleteThe video was put on to YouTube 11 years ago. It can't be much older than that as he has a fairly modern-looking laptop.
DeleteMy first thought was something to do with pumping water in the fens but then it looks to go underground so wondered about an old Royal Observer Corps station? I knew of two around places I've lived in Suffolk
ReplyDeleteAn interesting place to explore, John. I like that first photo with the lovely colors!
ReplyDeleteThat structure looks like a barbecue cooker to me.
Loved it John. I think most villages had a Peter Carter in the old days didn't they Round here it included stone walling - and of course hedge laying - a real art. No eels though - but we used to have jellied eels inthe Lincolnshire Fens where I grew up - and eel pie.
ReplyDeleteA lovely walk there. I love seeing the wildflowers blooming and even the hints of fall beginning.
ReplyDeleteWet lands are extremely important. It's good that some are conserved.
ReplyDeleteRemains of a pumphouse!
ReplyDeleteLove the purple fuzzy flowers. Glad to see places like these protected.
ReplyDeleteThe wildflowers are very pretty. It's interesting to see the horses out there, they do a good job of keeping the land in shape. The mysterious caravan, maybe someone uses it to store things they might need when they are out in the area. The last photo looks like the remnants of something from WWII.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the video. The eel fishery opened here the last week or so.
ReplyDeleteThanks John, I always enjoy going with you on your walks. I'm going to guess that the picture is the bottom of a long gone windmill. Sending hugs to you and Leslie. Theresa
ReplyDeleteLos agricultores tienen un abnegado trabajo y nadie tiene se conciencia de los peligros que corren y que te puede hacer perder toda una cosecha.
ReplyDeleteUn abrazo
Could be the remnants of a kiln or oven of some sort. Love the golden flowers, John.
ReplyDeleteThere were water buffalo on a reserve I visited in Wales. As you say, incongruous but seemingly very effective.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great video. I found his way of creating a hedge very interesting, because I want an hedge of lilacs. I will be putting his practice to the test. And the stories of the eels wiggling for a half hour after they'd been killed and the children using the eel heads as finger puppets, running around with the eel's mouths still snapping. What a great set fo stories. Thank you for that.
ReplyDeleteThe video was fascinating. A way of life that will sadly be a thing of the past before too long. It is so rare to find someone that is happy with their way of life even though it is hard and has little financial reward. No idea about the structure but wondered if it was a shelter of some description.
ReplyDeleteIf any commenter wants to read something fascinating, the life cycle of the eel is pretty amazing. The things that I never knew!
ReplyDeleteGreat video! Maybe a kind of underground storage room?
ReplyDeleteIt is great to see the fen getting back to its natural state. I find it hard to understand that ponies and buffalo help. Here conservationists are trying to eradicate wild ponies and buffalo because they damage the natural environment. They are not native to our country. The video was interesting. I liked his philosophy.
ReplyDeleteJohn, hope you're okay because you had us all guessing and we don't know the correct answer.
ReplyDeleteI'll be back very soon!
DeleteThe Fenland is a special place to visit at this time of year. The purple Loosestrife really pops against the gold of the other wildflowers. Lovely to see the Konik ponies and a glimpse of Ely Cathedral.
ReplyDeleteA fascinating video. Thankyou
ReplyDeleteTranquil country scenes.
ReplyDelete