Dungeness can be rather bleak in the winter time, with bare, wide open shingle, grey skies and leafless trees. Some people can't see any beauty in it at all, whereas others can and flock to be here during the quieter winter time. This week has been an exceptional mix of moody skies, frosty ground as well as bright blue sky and blazing sunshine. some cold weather has finally hit us and there's more activity as birds are desperately feeding to keep their energy up to stay warm.
Louise Kelly
I love a frost-covered Dungeness, it looks like the whole shingle peninsular is sparkling in the early morning light. Gorse, the only bright bit of plant-life on the reserve this time of year looks particularly beautiful. Gorse is a very important shelter for birds, small mammals and insects during the winter time. Its thickness provides a barrier and light relief to the cold and is an ideal micro climate. It flowers through the winter into the spring which provides an important early nectar source for insects when other flowers aren't present yet.
At this time of year when the edges of the water on the lakes have frozen, it is much easier to see birds such as water rail, heron and bittern feeding further away from the reeds which usually camouflage them. This photograph is a perfect example of a water rail being unusually out in the open when the ground is frosty.
Water rail - Graham Parry
We've had two whooper swans on and around the reserve over the last week as well as cattle egrets which have been in the area since the autumn. Other birds of note this week include jack snipe, glaucous and caspian gulls, raven, merlin and curlew.