Winter has officially started with our first sightings of smew on the reserve last week! We also had a spectacular fly over of more than 2000 rooks, jackdaws and crows last night over Burrowes pit. As the sun is now setting earlier it is nice to be able to see a lot of the birds fly up and off to their night time roosts. 9 marsh harriers were also seen at one time yesterday afternoon which is something pretty special.
On Tuesday I was out on the reserve and had an amazing experience. I spotted a stoat dart out of some gorse bushes and chase a rabbit around near Christmas Dell hide before it caught it and near killed it before the stoat was spooked by a passer by and ran off. It was definitely one of the best wildlife sightings I have had here so far - and very apt considering I'd only watched 'The Hunt' on television the previous night!
Recent sighting highlights for the past week include:
Smew – three redheads on Burrowes pit on 11th
Pintail – six on Burrowes pit on 10th
Goldeneye – 4 on Burrowes pit on 9th
Goosander – on Burrowes pit on 11th
Shoveler – on Burrowes pit on 8th
Gadwall – Denge Marsh on 10th
Black necked grebe – 2 on new diggings on 11th
Common Crane – Denge Marsh on 8th
Little Egret – at Denge Marsh on 10th
Great white egret – on Burrowes pit on 11th
Bittern – at Hookers pit on 11th
Marsh harrier – 9 on Burrowes pit and Denge Marsh on 11th
Buzzard – at Denge Marsh on 3rd
Merlin – over Boulderwall farm on 9th
Peregrine – over Denge Marsh on 10th
Short-eared owl – over dipping pond on 11th
Turnstone – Burrowes pit on 10th
Golden plover – 100+ flying over Burrowes pit on 1st
Water rail – at Burrowes pit on 4th
Snipe – four at Burrowes pit on 6th
Pheasant – access track on 1st
Caspian Gull – one juvenile on Burrowes pit on 3rd
Yellow legged gull – 1 adult on access track on 8th.
Kingfisher – at Burrowes pit on 11th
Great spotted woodpecker – at Hookers pit on 3rd
Green Woodpecker – Boulderwall Farm on 8th
Black redstart – on visitor centre roof on 8th
Stonechat – by Christmas Dell on 11th
Chiffchaff – outside Firth hide on 3rd
Dartford Warbler – on return trail on 11th
Goldcrest – around ARC on 7th
Firecrest – 5 by carpark feeders on 11th
Bearded tit – at Denge Marsh and dipping pond on 2nd
Ring ouzel – on the return trail on 11th
Rook – 950 over Burrowes pit at dusk on 11th
Jackdaw – 1100 over Burrowes at dusk on 11th
Carrion crow – 30 over Burrowes at dusk on 11th
Raven – two at Denge Marsh on 10th
Brambling – feeders at Boulderwall on 2nd
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Upcoming event!
Pop into our visitor centre on Sunday 15th November to get Christmassy with us. Enjoy a glass of mulled wine and some nibbles and let the kids keep themselves busy making advent calendars and Christmas cards. There are also binocular and telescope demonstrations happening if you might be interested in asking Santa for some!
It's free to come in the visitor centre and grab a drink. It's £1 to make an advent calendar. Entrance fees apply if you wish to walk the nature trail. Look forward to seeing you here!