The feeders at the visitor centre at Stagsike have attracted in a flock of over 30 siskins with a few lesser redpolls, but the highlight has been a couple of male bramblings. Other birds here, include greenfinches, chaffinch, great tit, blue tit, coal tit, robin and dunnock.
Black grouse can be found lekking at this time of year or seen feeding in hawthorns. At least five males and five females can be seen near the visitor centre, numbers will probably be lower than last year due to the wet weather in June last year, which reduces productivity. However quite a few young birds have been see recently.
When the weather is mild, lapwings return to the reserve and mainly congregate in the meadow by the visitor centre. Last week over 1300 gathered there, a record number. Within a few days the temperature dropped and presumably the majority of these birds moved to lower ground, leaving only a handful here.
As is usual this time of year pink-footed geese can be seen flying over the reserve as they move about the country. A couple of large skeins were seen on the 11th January, the one in the photo was of well over 200 birds.
There have been record numbers of tufted duck on Tindale Tarn, over 90, but these numbers have reduced to about 50 now. Other waterfowl on the Tarn include wigeon, teal, pochard, goldeneye, goosander, Canada goose, greylag goose and coot.