It's been a cold but beautifully sunny day here on the reserve today. The long eared owl was showing off really well today by the pond. We've had lots of geese on the reserve recently with Canadian geese, Greylag geese, Brent geese and Egyptian geese all taking up residents on our pits. Smews, pintails, goldeneyes and an impressive 250 wigeon have also been seen around Burrowes pit and Denge Marsh.

Wigeon - photo credit: Andy Hay rspb-images

A great white egret and little egret have been seen regularly at the small pit by the Boulderwall farmhouse near the entrance of the reserve, so keep an eye out for them as you drive in.

Golden plover, water rail, redshank and curlew have all been seen.

A great spotted woodpecker was seen on the feeders in the carpark yesterday and a Cetti's warbler, chiffchaff, bearded tit and long-tailed tit have been seen around the reserve today.

Long tailed tit - photo credit: John Bridges, rspb-images

The black necked grebe and slavonian grebes have been seen regularly on the New Diggings pit.

Buzzards, sparrowhawks, merlins, peregrines, kestrels and marsh harriers continue to rule the skies!