As I sit here with the rain bucketing down outside, I'm thinking that it was only three weeks ago, I was in the Waterston hide with the door and windows open, a balmy 19°C in the bright sunshine, listening to Skylarks singing away, whilst watching Meadow Pipets, Pied Wagtails, Linnets and a family of Stonechats.
It's been a quiet time on the reserve over the last few weeks. Despite the strong westerlies, bringing the usual heavy rain, unfortunately no mega-rarities showed up. The water levels in the scrapes and the loch have risen a fair bit, which has had the effect of moving some of the wildfowl away.
There's been a female Smew hanging around the bay, off and on, since the 22nd October, amongst the Goosanders and Pochards. Amongst the swans in the bay on the 31st October, a Whooper Swan with a yellow leg ring, and a Mute Swan with a green ring were spotted by Jeremy from SNH. A Jack Snipe was seen from the Gilman hide in the west lagoon, as well as a pair of Snipe at the back of the Carden flood on the 2nd November. A male and a female Pintail were on the Carden flood today (6th).