Name: Wicken Fen
Start: 2024-11-17T10:45:00Z
End: 2024-11-17T14:00:00Z

(I will try this one again, I do still have the text ready from the previous attempt...)

Meet in the National Trust car park for a 10:45 a.m. departure and a 3½-mile walk, which heads down Moore's Drove and Harrison's Drove to Priory Farm, then returns via Harrison's Drove and Wicken Lode. We will visit all four hides that are found along this route. I expect the walk to take about three hours, and at the end of it, we can visit the Docky Hut café by the NT visitor centre for refreshments (optional, of course!)

The route doesn't visit the part of the reserve for which you need to be a member, or pay for a day permit; however, drivers who are not members of the NT have to pay £3.20 to park in the car park. Alternatively, it's possible to park in Wicken village for free, then walk down Lode Lane to the car park; but if you intend to do that, please allow extra time for it.

For those without transport: other attendees may be able to offer lifts from locations nearer to you, but I can offer lifts from the Ely area, including Ely railway station. Anyone getting the train from Cambridge for this purpose should catch the 10:03, which is also the 10:07 from Cambridge North, and which gets into Ely at 10:21. If you'd like a lift with me, please contact me privately.

For those without binoculars: I have a couple of spare pairs which I am happy to lend out. Again please contact me privately.

I may ask for a £1 contribution from each attendee towards the Meetup subscription. (Total received in 2023 was about £30; total since 01-Jan-2024 is £28.)

For those new to this activity: these are walks with lots of stops, with the primary purposes of finding a variety of birds, and getting good views of them. The most useful tool is a decent pair of binoculars. As well as (hopefully) good views, another enjoyable aspect is the feeling of achievement at finding as many different species as we can. To support this, as well as to help attendees remember what we saw and heard, I will post a list in a comment afterwards.

About the pace: although you will sometimes see me walk ahead quickly, the average pace is very slow - typically about 1 mph. As a result, you may get frustrated by the slow pace and stops. That's why "Rule No. 1" of these Meetups is that anyone is welcome to walk ahead, or fall behind, at any time. In fact, if you separate from the group, you might spot a bird that the rest of us would then like to see! But if you get bored of the activity (which is OK, we all get "birded out" sometimes), and can find your way back to the car park or café, you are welcome to peel off early and head that way.

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Wicken Fen

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Wicken Fen

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