Erm well I have to admit that this week I have hardly been on site as I've been busy and up to my eyeballs in mud managing another habitat restoration project! So I'll have to dig deep and concentrate so that I can imagine that I've seen all the four hen harriers (three ring-tails and 1 male) that came into roost last night on the reserve! There has also been up to 21 marsh harriers too so maybe last years 'once in a lifetime roost offer' will become available to the under ones, that's if they can lift heavy bins at that age of course!
The pinkfeet have been excellent value too this week with up to 1000 feeding on the sugar beet next to the reserve. Usually all the beet tops have been ploughed in by this time around here on the heavy clay soils but due to the wet weather the farmers have been unable to get on the land, not good news for the farmers but if you're a hungry pinkie! A quick request is if you see them in a field near to a road please do not park up too close and scare them off, keep a bit of distance and let them feed in peace.
Other records this week include up to 3 water pipits, plenty of snipe, and still good numbers of lapwing and golden plover about as well as the odd wintering spotted redshank.
Amazingly, still reasonable numbers of siskin and redpoll flying south and excellent numbers of redwing and fieldfare feasting on the berries.
And that's all about I can conjure up on a busy schedule folks, must dash!
below, male hen harrier at Ousefleet yesterday (Tim and Si Jump)
And a nice diving beetle photo sent in by As Warden No 1 - Matt