Water Vole at Dawn

This morning the alarm went off at 4:05 so I could get up and ready and drive the 30 mins to Sculthorpe Moor for my 5am Dawn Chorus walk. I’d checked the temperature and it was only forecast to be 7C, so I’d got a fleece and walking jacket ready, which was a good job as it felt even colder as it was very misty, thankfully I had gloves in my jacket pocket. We’d been warned to have shoes/boots suitable for muddy areas, which was also good as we went away from the boardwalks and into the beaver enclosure where the water table is high. No beavers to be seen, but we could see the work they’d done, its impact on the landscape and their amazing lodges. They are now a family of five. On the way back it was very boggy, my boots got drawn into the mud at one point and I needed a hand so I could pull each foot out and not fall over! We heard lots of different birds - wren, robin, blackcap, chiffchaff, blackbird, cuckoo, blue tit, marsh tit, sedge warbler, reed warbler, green and greater spotted woodpecker, song thrush, great tit, and no doubt others I’ve forgotten. The ranger is very good and as well as pointing out each bird, he tries to give us a ‘hook’ to remember it by. We also saw a marsh harrier, red kite, large egret and several water birds. At one point we saw a hare - it was quite far away and the light was poor, but after editing my photo I decided to add it as an extra. The highlight for me though was seeing this water vole, which carried on with its breakfast for a couple of minutes with our group close by watching it - look at its little ‘hands’ holding the grass. Then back to the visitor centre for our 7am breakfast of a warm croissant and danish pastry and a cuppa. I did some shopping in town on the way back and was home by 8:15. I so enjoy my annual Dawn chorus walk, but I have to say I’ve done nothing for the rest of the day!