The Time In Between

It has been an exciting few days since Christmas with a real mix of wintry weather with foggy mornings and glorious afternoons, misty rivers, rich sunsets and frozen, frosty ground.

Frosty Dog Rose - Clive Watts

Jerry Hoare with very, very long legs...

A foggy Dawn - Lee Spence

Frost needles - Helen Mathias

Not sure if this species of mammal is on the site list? - Tony O'Brien

Thrushes and Owls have been the main ornithological draw and I think that more people have seen their very first wild owl since Christmas than I can remember. Yesterday was especially good with sun all day and a proper hoarfrost clinging to everything. The Barn Owl was out from about 2pm and was even showing and interacting with the Short-eared Owls out over the Ouzel Fields, Enclosed Bay and Target Pools.

Short-eared Owl - Tony O'Brien

Short-eared Owl - Martin Smith

Short-eared Owl - Tony O'Brien

Owl Watchers - Zack Genetay

Barn Owl - Tony O'Brien

Barn Owl - Ian Plume

Barn Owl - Barry Jones

With most of the water frozen solid the dabbling duck have been confined largely to a small area in front of the Butts Hide but with reduced water levels duck numbers are still quite low and we have been doing various rain dances to encourage precipitation.

Incoming Wigeon - Tony O'Brien

Wigeon - Mark Vale

Shoveler - Airbrakes applied - Tony O'Brien

A thawed patch provides this drake Mallard with a drink - Tony O'Brien

To be honest, heavy snow fall would be even better as it would allow the water contained within to slowly percolate into the system rather than escaping before it has the chance.

Cormorant heading back to the river to find open water - Tony O'Brien

Likewise the Little Egrets have been spending more time on the foreshore and saltmash during the current cold snap - Tony O'Brien

The hawthorn berry crop is slowly being decimated by hungry flocks of scavenging Redwings and Fieldfares and there have been quite a few Song Thrushes and Blackbirds amongst them.

Redwing - Helen Mathias

Redwing - Lee Spence

Fieldfare - John Humble

Nothing like a nice frosty Stonechat - Helen Mathias 

Green, Gold and Chaffinches have been congregating amongst the House Sparrow throng around the feeders and the Sparrowhawk has once again reduced the Collared Dove population by one while the Magpies have been entertaining and confusing visitors who start the Magpie rhyme and find more than ten sitting around the feeding station!

Magpie with something odd... possibly popcorn - Tony O'Brien

All three wintering pipits have been seen on both the foreshore and pools and the Skylark flock is still feeding out on Purfleet Scrape but has attracted nothing rarer... as yet!

Marsh Harriers are still daily with up to six now on the reserve including two fine adult males while the Buzzards are just content to sit on the Wennington Owl Box and Central Control Building and watch the world go by while both the tame Kestrels are still showing well.

male Marsh Harrier - Mark Vale

Kestrel on the Butts - Ricky Blackman

Mr K - Mark McElligott

Mr K again... John Humble

And so with just one more day to go in 2016 I will leave you with a magical sunset and another seasonally appropriate Robin...

Robin - Tony O'Brien