A cold and sunny(wish) afternoon at RSPB Northward Hill.

Despite the cold, there were still a lot of visitors on the reserve. I have seen numbers rise consistently during lockdown, and the same at RSPB Cliffe Pools as people are looking to explore new venues to take their 'local' exercise. Let's hope their new discoveries of our fantastic countryside and wildlife continue after the pandemic. I've also noticed an increase in families with children out in the fresh air (and it was very fresh today).

There was a lot of birdlife around, Tits, Blue, Great and Long-Tailed called from the barely budding Birch trees.  A Cetti's' Warbler sang its' explosive song from a Briar patch down near a winter swollen fleet.

Lots of Corvids were overhead, Jackdaws, Crows, Rooks and Magpies. A Great Spotted Woodpecker jipp-jipped in a nearby tree. A party of Redwings were still around the Orchard, a Kestrel hovered over them and a Common Buzzard soared on what must have been a pretty weak thermal.

Robins, Mistle and Song Thrush sang in the limited sunlight.

Out on the marsh, there is still huge amounts of standing water in the grassy depressions.

Marsh Harriers quartered the reed-beds for frogs I imagine are slowly emerging from muddy wintering homes. I have yet, this year to witness these magnificent birds sky dancing, but it will not be long now.

Mallards are quacking their quack, quack, quack laughing call and chasing females through the sky, usually one or two or more at a time.

Moorhens flicked their white rump feathers at me and ki-krekked their alarm call and disappeared into the waterside undergrowth.

Widgeon whistled and Lapwing bubbled in the distance

As a bonus, a Little Owl called from the car-park, a heard but not seen bird of the day!