This morning's guided walk was focussed on duck courtship. At times, we felt the ducks were more focussed on feeding, but the goldeneyes did show off for us (and their ladies) eventually. Perhaps they just needed the morning to warm up a bit first. Towards the end of the walk, we had great views of a flock of about 20 siskins, feeding in alder trees beside our path. The males were a brilliant yellow in the spring sunshine.
We also noted the first bumblebee of the season, which someone was able to identify as a tree bumblebee.
A grand total of 75 bird species was recorded today, ranging in size from from goldcrest to mute swan. Only one smew was found - a redhead on Drayton Lagoon, where 7 goosanders were present for a while. Has the pair of smews that have spent recent days on Elney Lake migrated away?Several different buzzards were seen drifting over, all individually, and heading in various directions.Cettis warblers were quite vocal, great crested grebes were displaying occasionally, and small flocks of lapwaings and golden plovers were flying over.