Despite or possibly because of, the cold frosty winter weather there’s plenty of birds to see at Arne at the moment. All the usual suspects are out and about foraging and singing in the glorious sunshine.
A walk past the welcome area’s busy feeding station gives great views of our smaller birds with vibrant goldfinches, coal tits, great tits, blue tits, groups of long-tailed tits and lone nuthatches, while chaffinches, blackbirds, dunnocks and robins take advantage of the spillages.
Strolling past the farm towards Big Wood the hedgerows are busy with beautifully bright bullfinches and hungry fieldfare. The beautiful frosty fields shimmer in the sunshine and the leaves of ancient oaks crunch underfoot. Our smallest birds, firecrests and goldcrests twitter and chatter overhead, while tiny wrens search for tasty morsels in the undergrowth and tree creepers dash up and down trunks.
Don’t forget to look overhead while you’re wandering the trails, there are raptors on the wing - kestrels and sparrowhawks and you might be lucky and spot our star species – marsh harrier over the reedbeds and channels or possibly even an enormous white-tailed eagle soaring!
The saltmarsh and mudflats, especially Middlebere Lake are teeming with winter visitors. Avocet, curlew, redshank and godwits probe the mud for invertebrates, while wigeon, teal and shelduck dabble for food. You might spot spoonbill on the sandbars at Shipstal, snoozing, preening and occasionally sifting the water for invertebrates.
As you wander through the heath you'll be serenaded (if that's the right word!) by the chinking chirp of stonechats and the scratchy song of Dartford warblers. The gorse is already flowering, regardless of the thick frost.
Whichever trail you follow you're bound to see something wonderful this winter - if you'd like to find out more, why not join our Beginners Birdwatching Course - Arne, which starts this Saturday, 28th, 10.30am. Don't forget to stop into the cafe for a warming hot drink and delicious snack. For more information about the reserve, our wildlife and facilities click on: RSPBArne or find us on social: Facebook @RSPBArne Twitter @RSPBArne
Photos: Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com) and Samantha Dallimore.