Today's rain was enough to discourage most people from going for a walk, but there were rewards for a few brave birders who reached shelter of the Coucher Hide, overlooking Moore Lake. Before reaching the hide, two people found a flock of eight siskins in the alders on the south side of Elney Lake.
Just metres in front of the hide, feeding in channels we've cut through the reeds, were some snipe and reed buntings, joined occasionally by a water rail. Looking further around the lake, the large flock of shovelers seems to have moved on, but waders are popping in now - common and green sandpipers, redshanks, lapwings and oystercatchers were all there.
The greylag goose flock is starting to break up - quite a few pairs are now keeping themselves to themselves, but the flock did hold the day's highlight for our visitors - a group of five tundra bean geese. I hope the afternoon snowflakes have encouraged these rare geese to stay for a few days. Here is a picture of four of them.