Hi all
We have quite a few gold crest on site this autumn/winter with 4 being seen together around the visitor center. A couple of visitors also managed to catch a fire crest near the Draper hide last week, a real treat.
Fire crest image by Peter Spanton sighted near the Draper hide
It is starting to feel a bit more like winter now as the mild weather has given way to a few cold days and some pretty windy days! This change in weather has also been mirrored in the sightings on the reserve. Redwing and field fare numbers and sightings have both increased and we are regularly getting a peregrine sitting on one of the 3 large pylons on site having a look around before heading off hunting. A stonechat has appeared on and off on the meadow and siskin and repoll have both been reported with increasing frequency. The number of bullfinch on site has increased with 7 reported on one day. As the nights are drawing further and further in we change our closing time to dusk currently 4.15-4.30 depending on the gloom of the day but this is allowing people to wonder the site as dusk. This has resulted in rewards for some with sightings of yellow hammer as they come to roost. Winter has not got a total grip on the birds as we do still have regular reports of chiff chaff and blackcap, those hardy soles who decide to remain for the winter rather than take on the arduous migration.
A water pipit has put in a few appearances feeding on the dregdings from a cleared ditch on the meadow, meadow pipit have also been spotted more often on the meadow or Draper area. A Mediterranean gull was loafing with the black headed gulls on the 21 November and numbers of common gull are increasing. Snipe numbers have reached 50+ recently and lapwing are regularly over 130. We still have a number of cettis warbler on site and they can still be quite vocal.
We look forward to seeing you soon.
Thanks
Vicky