A Butterbump for Christmas

Our big news this week is that we've got a Bittern on the reserve. It announced its presence with a fly-past the Coffee Shop on Friday morning (21st) and then showed several times on Saturday morning. It's a couple of years since one wintered here, and we hope that it will stay, although the high water levels will limit its feeding opportunities, as the reedbeds are as full as we've seen them for several years. The RSPB's work to restore reedbeds across England and Wales has made a big difference to their numbers - up from just a dozen booming males in 1997 to more than 100 today, though Bitterns seen in winter could be Dutch birds on the move.  Butterbump is their old Fenland name!

The firecrests are still present, with two seen this morning (22nd), and a kingfisher has been seen too, the first sightings in a couple of weeks.  A few more goldeneyes and pochards are appearing on the lagoons, and a great crested grebe today was unseasonal. A merlin was seen on several occasions, but photograph of the week was surely this jack snipe near the boardwalk, taken with a point-and-shoot camera at just a few feet range!  Common snipe are very easy to see at the moment, roosting on the edges of the islands while the reedy edges are submerged; two grey plovers last Sunday are the other waders of note.

The starlings are roosting regularly, numbering up to 10,000 each night, most recently in the reeds between the Tal-y-fan and Carneddau Hides. Small numbers of siskins and lesser redpolls are around the wildlife garden

Last Sunday, we undertook a water rail count as an extension to the monthly Wetland Birds Survey count. We thought there were a few more than usual, but we hadn't expected to find 16 different birds - it's a shy, skulking bird, but it responds to a recording of its own voice.  With water levels high, they are being seen regularly from the Coffee Shop.

We're open throughout Christmas/New Year, from 10am to 5pm each day. The only exceptions are Christmas Eve, when we close at 3 pm, and Christmas Day, when we are closed completely. We look forward to seeing you!