Wednesday Wander highlights

“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.” Dickens

We enjoyed a very pleasant Wednesday Wildlife Wander on the reserve this morning. Last month's walk was pretty arctic, and looking at the forecast I feared we might be in for the same biting wind and cold today; but true to Dicken's words there was at least some warmth in the sheltered sunshine around Elney Lake to offset the sleet shower on our way back. (Though as I type this it has just started to snow...)

We got off to a fantastic start seeing a bittern pop up and fly briefly over the Holywell Lake reedbed. By we I mean everyone except me who was looking in the other direction and talking. Typical! But a great start anyway. We were excited to hear this bird 'booming' earlier in the week - this post explains why it's so special.

The next highlight was watching two great crested grebes on Oxholme Lake performing part of their springtime courtship dance. Facing each other beak to beak, long curved necks in beautiful symmetry, they shook their strikingly plumed heads at each other for a minute or two before drifting apart, glancing our way as if slightly disconcerted by all the attention at such a moment. Meanwhile two buzzards wheeled overhead.

A trip round Elney kept us out of the wind, although rather in the mud at points as this loop still needs to dry out following all the wet weather and flooding we've had lately. Through the viewing screens we enjoyed distant little egrets, some striking male goldeneyes and a lonely pochard among others. The goldeneyes have been displaying lately too - look out for for them leaning their heads back and kicking up the water.

Image: goldeneye displaying by Ben Hall (rspb-images.com)

A bullfinch and various other small birds added colour to the hedgerows. I find this is a good time of year for improving my bird song recognition, with enough to hear but not yet so many that I get confused! Several times we heard the startled yaffle of a green woodpecker (follow the link for a sound clip).

Due to the wind direction the hide was less sheltered than usual but we were pleased to spot a nearby lapwing standing on one of the islands, a well-camoflagued snipe poking around in the mud and several wigeons over on the far shore.

On our way back we paused to check out the soon-to-be dragonfly pond and one lucky person spotted a kingfisher dashing along the ditch. The aforementioned sleet then made it a fairly direct return for hot drinks back at the car park.

Thanks to all who came for a particularly pleasant walk, and do join us for the next one on Wednesday 10 April, 10.15 am-1 pm. Spring should be in full swing by then with butterflies, birdsong and - dare I say it? - blue skies to look forward to.