With temperatures back into positive figures, just, and the ice receeding, it's actually getting a little bit more tricky to see birds like bitterns and water rails. However, careful watching of the lake shores and islands today produced 3 bitterns at Drayton Lagoon, Oxholme Lake and flying into Holywell Lake. Water rails can still be heard, squealing like little pigs, around many of the lakes, even if seeing them has become harder.
We still have 3 smew, including 1 drake, and a goosander present. As the ice melts and the lakes open up, we should start to see more of these species.
The black-tailed godwits, 3, are still favouring the northern shore of Swavesey Lake and 2 golden plovers flew over, this afternoon.
The starling roost, as predicted, is coming to an end. Around 300 birds came in this afternoon, which still attracted the attentions of 2 sparrowhawks.
A little treat came as I headed off the site at around 4:20pm - a short-eared owl was sitting on a fence post next ot the Entrance Track, but unfortunately flew off before I could stop & get my bins on it.