New Year's Day
Although a cold and quite dull day, the Reserve was brimming with hardy soles enjoying the great outdoors after the Christmas break. 'Col' reported having seen a female/juv Marsh Harrier from the hide.
LOGBOOK SIGHTINGS
NVH - Marsh Harrier perched in front of the LH wood (young male - primaries looked black)
John Ireland - Little Stint east of Port Carlisle.
2nd January.
A grey day with a cold brisk easterly wind blowing.
The 2nd Meadow Pool produced a Little Egret, closely followed by a Grey Heron. A flurry of 10 Long-tailed Tits appeared from nowhere and went undulating along the Lonning hedge.
Grey Heron putting in an appearance.
Long-tailed Tit on hawthorn hedge.
On reaching the hide it could be seen that the wetlands contained good numbers of duck: Mallard, Shoveler. Wigeon, Teal and Pintail. Also Lapwing.
A small family of Whooper Swans had taken up residence together with a singleton who seemed to be interested in the activities of the Lapwing.
Duck on wetlands.
Lapwing and Teal.
Adults and juvenile Whoopers on pool in front of the hide.
The other Whooper inspecting the roosting duck and Lapwing.
3rd January.
Overcast again with a cold SE wind.
A Kestrel was seen hunting over the Wetlands Centre and later along the top of the saltmarsh. At 12.30pm, Teal and Wigeon were looking colourful lining the far edge of the 1st Meadow Pool and 2 Redshank could be seen picking about the wet meadows further round to the west.
Teal on 1st Meadow Pool.
Redshank on wet meadows.
The small family of three Whoopers were still frequenting the hide pool. Generally, a good display of Teal, Wigeon, Pintail, Shoveler and Lapwings on the wetlands there.
The Whooper family still there.
Pintail and Teal viewed from the hide . . .
. . . and Teal and Shoveler.
Teal flock in flight over the rushy meadow beyond the hide pool . . .
. . . and coming in to land.
Lapwing in front of the hide.
4th January.
Early morning sunshine.
Although clear and bright with an easterly wind early morning, it clouded in after lunch.
The high tide of 7.3m was at 7.12am but this caused little movement of birds along the estuary. However at 10.30am, three groups of about 150 Barnacles made their way along, going east - the flock included a leucistic bird.
Groups of Barnacles flying east along the estuary . . .
. . . including a leucistic bird.
Saw a comment made by Frank Mawby : "nice flock of Linnets with good numbers of Reed Bunting, Goldfinches and Tree Sparrow on RSPB wild bird food crop at Rogersceugh, yesterday."
LOGBOOK SIGHTING
Visitor - Kingfisher, Heron, Swans and Sparrowhawk.
COL - Little Egret (Bullrush Screen).
6th January.
The day started off overcast but with a 9.44 am. high tide it soon brightened up by mid-morning.
The Avocet was accompanying a small group of Oystercatchers and Curlew out on the tideline - just off Scargavel Point at 9.30am, just as the tide came in.
At 4.30pm, M P reported 100 Pinks flying over Bowness Common heading west.
COL - Marsh Harrier, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Grey Heron, Wigeon, Teal, Pintail, Shoveler, Lapwing and Mallard - with Bullfinch along the track.
7th January.
Early morning (still dark) John heard a Tawny Owl hooting in the direction of the orchard and the Discovery field.
The morning dawned brilliantly sunny with a very strong cold easterly wind. Oystercatchers were on the move accompanied by the Avocet at 9.30am. A Brambling had been spotted with Chaffinches - under the Hamlet feeders. A flock of about 30 Barnacles flew SE over the Viaduct.
Male Brambling with Chaffinches under roadside feeders. Note the colour similarity but not the markings.
Male Brambling closeup.
Barnacles over the Viaduct.
Being Thursday morning, the Workparty was out in force . . . today's task being gorse coppicing on the marsh edge near Byers Cottage. There was a good turnout inspite of the chillness. They had soon got a cheery bonfire ablaze.
The best laid plans etc . . . soon came adrift! The bonfire had been laid to the west of the working group (for burning the brash) - bearing in mind the direction and strength of the wind. Unfortunately the wind had veered by 180 degrees by the time they had finished. At least the warmth would be welcomed on such a day!
All hands on deck!
In no time a good swathe had been cleared . . .
. . . and the fire was merrily burning.
Great, but for the fickleness of the wind.
Early afternoon, a number of notable birds were seen about the hamlet: Great and Coal Tits using the Christmas Bird Wreath now that they had got used to it being there; Six Goldfinch, which hadn't been seen for some time, descended on the niger seed feeder; the Kestrel was keeping an eye on everything from the Ash Tree above.
Tits enjoying the Christmas bird wreath.
3 of a 'fall' of six goldfinches.
Goldfinches being aggressive to each other.
Kestrel in Ash tree.
Finally, at 2.30pm a skein of about 30 Barnacles (probably the same group from this morning) flew west along the saltmarsh.
Skein of Barnacles.
Report from COL, who had been along the Blue Route, of a single Pink-footed Goose from the hide.
B & SS - 3 Bullfinches along the track.