Birds - Early Winter

Wild Swans

Whooper and Bewick swans (yellow, not orange bills) arrive from Iceland and Siberia to feed on the fen. Many will often fly over the city between feeding sites and their roost on the Ouse Washes (TL 520 907 or N+52 29' 35" E+0 14' 12")
Top Spots
Winter wheat fields between Prickwillow and the A1101 (TL 605 845 or N+52 26’ 17” E+0 22’ 2”), Byall Fen, Manea (TL 455 875 or N+52 28’ 7” E+0 8’ 29”), Flying across the area around Coveney (TL 489 283 or N+52 25' 2" E+0 11' 21"), the area around Wardy Hill (TL 472 822 or N+52 25' 2" E+0 9' 46") and the Isleham Road (TL 614 801 or N+52 23' 41" E+0 22' 16")

Redwings

Listen out at night for a seeping sound (like air out of a tyre) as these migrant members of the thrush family arrive on our shores from Scanadnavia for a milder winter
Top Spots
Your garden, any garden. They will be flying overhead

Long-tailed Tits

Long-tailed Tits join together in loose flocks averaging about 15 birds and are often joined by other small birds such as Blue Tits - they feed together in winter to minimise the risk of being caught by a predator. They are restless and noisy birds, drawing attention to themselves witth their excitable contact calls and their inquisitive nature. Once seen these small birds are easily identified by the stripey brown and white head and long, long tail
Top Spots
You may be lucky enough to have Long-tailed Tits visit your garden but the hedges along Kiln Lane at Roswell Pits (TL 553 806 or N+52 24' 5" E+0 16' 51") are a very good place to bump into them. If you make a pishing noise with your lips you can often get the flock to come and have a closer look at you and you can get a closer look at them too

Tawny Owls

Tawny Owls are present in most areas in and around Ely. As the nights draw in the territorial calls of male and female can be heard more frequently often early in the wee hours of the morning. It is the male bird that makes the "keevick" call which may be drawn out into blood curdling phrases, the female responds with the "whoooooo". Put the calls together and you get the classic "Toowit twoooo" in fact two birds for the price of one
Top Spots
Cherry Hill Park (TL 542 800 or N+52 23' 49" E+ 0 15' 45"), St Mary's Churchyard (TL 538 803 or N+52 23' 56" E+0 15' 36") and Ely cemetery on New Barns Avenue / Beech Lane (TL 547 807 or N+52 24' 12" E+0 16' 17") are atmospheric places to listen for Owls