Happy new year to all of our visitors and readers, we've had some lovely sightings to report since the festive period.
The big focus of the last week has been the great white egret. It's been seen from the visitor centre every day this week, which has provided brilliant views and photo opportunities! The egret is certainly getting its fill from the fish in Bowers Lake. Had a tasty pike (well done to Gavin for his speedy ID in the centre!)
Mid-attack great white egret - Mick Noble (Swillington Ings Bird Group - sibg1.wordpress.com)
The local herons aren't too happy with the new arrival though, especially in their prime fishing spot.
Heron having a go! Brian Needham
Size isn't everything of course, a little egret has 'buddied up' with the great white - it was sighted yesterday and today near Bowers Lake, in close proximity to the great white. A great time to get a real feel for their size difference.
Kingfisher sightings are still pretty regular in and around the reedbed - sometimes providing extremely clear and close up views. Often sighted on 'no fishing' signs, on the banks around the ditches, and at both 'crossroads.'
Kingfisher on the sluice gate on the eastern reedbed - Mick Noble (Swillington Ings Bird Group - sibg1.wordpress.com)
Wildfowl central - as expected! Yesterday was a bumper day in the sightings book - goldeneye, goosander, mallards, wigeon, pochard, gadwall, shelduck, shoveler, teal, tufted ducks, and of course coots & moorhens in bulk. Your best bet for these is around Main Lake and Lemonroyd, although Bowers Lake is often full if you don't want to stretch your legs too far.
Pochard fly-by - Alan Coe
Water pipits have also been sighted around Lemonroyd Lake and western reedbed, a stocky pipit which is enjoying our lowland warmth - it breeds up in the Alps and other mountain ranges in Europe.
The feeders located at the warren on the southern side of the reserve (ask us in the centre and we'll direct you!) have seen willow, coal, blue, great and marsh tit, plenty of bullfinches and flocks of goldfinch frequently. We now have feeders around the visitor centre as it's Big Garden Birdwatch this month.
The feeders at the warren - can you spot the willow tit? Gael ImpiazziThey have been up for an hour so far, and nothing has realised there's some suet to be eaten yet. Hopefully by the 27th Jan (Birdwatch weekend) we'll have some activity!
On a non-bird note, weasels have been venturing out and about near the centre. We saw one hopping about near the dragline earlier in the week - for such a tiny creature they're powerful little predators!
Excuse the Google image search - but had to show the strength in a hungry weasel!
These are the highlights, but if you visit - ensure you pop into the centre for the full low-down and explanation of the site.
Coming up:
Bird feeder making ahead of Big Garden Birdwatch - 20th & 21st January https://ww2.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/events-dates-and-inspiration/events/details.aspx?id=tcm:9-448420
Dusk walks in January (a couple of spaces left for the 8th, and a few more for the 13th) https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dusk-walk-at-st-aidans-tickets-40143962673?aff=es2