Firstly, from the Langford team, a very Happy New Year to everyone! So 2018 is here and we are excited for what lies ahead at Langford this year. After the success of breeding bearded tits in 2016 and 2017 and our booming bittern last year, there is certainly much to look forward to as the winter comes to an end and spring approaches.
It is still of course a bit off yet and indeed it's blowing a gale force wind and raining as I write, but there is still plenty around on site at the moment....
I was delighted to see my first bittern of 2018 yesterday on the northernmost silt lagoon - viewable from the visitor path behind the beach hut, the bird flew into the lagoon from the north and settled in reedmace on the southern edge of the pond. What a fabulous way to welcome the new year in on site!
A great white egret is around in the area and has been seen several times at Langford, most recently on the 28th December.
Barn owls have been hunting over the rougher patches of grassland and a female marsh harrier has been quartering over Phases 1 and 2.
Stonechat are frequent visitors in the winter and are showing well in several areas of the site and Cetti's warblers are very vocal - their loud, explosive song is unmistakable!
And do keep an eye on the car park area at the moment too - we are now feeding the birds twice a week down there and already the feed is attracting up to 50 goldfinches and chaffinches, with tit flocks feeding in the woodland edge nearby. This is an ideal opportunity to keep an eye open for brambling too, which feed with the flock on the seed most winters.
Look out for bramblings feeding with other finches at the car park.