Monthly Sightings Summary - January 2023

With a new year comes a new chance to get out birding, start a year list or just to get some fresh air and exercise. At Fen Drayton Lakes it means getting stuck in to looking at all the wildfowl and gulls which congregate. Lots of people got out in the new year with some interesting sightings amongst the usual suspects. Highlights this month were as follows:

• Great Egret - 7 at Drayton on 2nd
• Woodcock - 5 flew out of roost on 2nd
• Marsh Harrier - one on Oxholme on 3rd
• Lapwing - 200 on flood on Middle Fen on 4th
• Glossy Ibis - 2 on Middle Fen on 8th
• Chiffchaff - Holywell on 12th
• Goosander - 3 redheads on Drayton on 18th
• Redshank - Ferry on 19th
• Pintail - 8 on 19th
• Shelduck - 2 on Ferry on 21st
• Bearded Tit - 6 at Ferry on 21st
• Ruff - one on Middle Fen on 22nd
• Bittern - 3 on Holywell stood on ice on 23rd
• Smew - 3 on Oxholme on 25th
• Red-crested Pochard - drake on Oxholme on 25th
• Caspian Gull - one on Oxholme on 27th
• Mediterranean Gull - one on Drayton on 29th