Water, water everywhere... It was so wet out on the marsh during December and the tail end of a little bit of an easterly brought a  few notable birds to the reserve including a very obliging Snow Bunting (3rd), three Bewick’s Swans (8th) and a single Whooper (11th). A Red-throated Diver headed north rather than up the river on the 8th and Wigeon peaked at about 500 and Pintail at 15.

Lapwing numbers rose steadily…

Is it not surprising that Sparrowhawks and cats have a liking for our small birds!  Many of them are so bright and shiny....

You just have to love Goldfinches!  (Basil Thornton)

6-1-13

We have two Chiffchaffs wintering on site at the moment and one of them is living in the Northern Trail reedbeds. It has a quite well marked face for a Chiffchaff and is very pale underneath. Would like to see it myself and to hear it call but I suspect that it is not a British race bird (that are normally shades of olive and are quite dusky underneath) and it is probably from further east in Europe or from even further…

Continuing with where she left of last year, Kes  has been showing very well over the last couple of days especially as we seem to be having a semi-dry spell!

Basil Thornton caught here in mid hover yesterday...

You could count the feathers....

5-1-13

You have to be quick to catch up with a hunting Sparrowhawk. Our ones do not just go for the little birds around the feeders but are quite happy tackling the odd Collared Dove and Lapwing.

Great shot by Barry Jackson

4-1-13

Quite unsurprisingly it is still amazingly wet out on the marsh. Levels have dropped slightly but you still require wellies rather than walking boots to complete a full circuit with deep standing water between the Dragonfly Pool and the Three Gates crossing on the Northern Trail.

High tides have been late this week so afternoons have been best for the swirling wader spectacle while at least two Marsh Harriers are still…

Getting some really good artistic shots emailed in at the moment...

Both these reflective shots taken by Lukas.... fantastic... (an no, the water is not red, it is the refelction from the buildings behind...!)

... and looking towards the river wall by Basil Thornton

3-1-13

It looked like it was going to be another nice day but the early morning calm deteriorated at lunchtime into low cloud and a driving persistent drizzle... yik...

Nevertheless it was a good day with two Chiffchaffs out in the Northern Trail reedbeds, several Water Vole sightings, two Marsh Harriers and a constant skyfull of Lapwings, Golden Plover and Starlings with groups of Snipe and, over high tide, over 2000 swirling…

I was too busy to take any this evening so many thanks to Antony Wren for this shot....

1-1-13

A record breaking day.... more later...  need to go home now!

Ok, home now, had my dinner, got a nice bottle of beer on the go to celebrate a fantastic day on the reserve.

I arrived really early this morning (about 0600) to the sound of many 'plipping' Teal, 'Teal'ing Wigeon, warming up Robins and whining Lapwings. It was great. Had the place top myself for an hour with nothing but the sounds of birds waking up on the…

Have a great January 1st and hope to see more of you on the reserve in the coming year...

1-1-13