Hello All
The work parties have been busy this week clearing views into the reedbed near the kingfisher hide and off the boardwalk. Cutting the vegetation in front of the kingfisher hide has opened up a few pools and ditches that have been hidden away for a while and we have cleared the vegetation from around the nesting bank and the CCTV camera, ready for the 2015 breeding season. While working in this area we were lucky enough to get sightings of kingfisher, red kite, cetti's warbler, water rail (heard), reed bunting, kestrel and lapwing to name a few.
On Monday visitors reported a bittern from the Ashby hide, yey our first for this winter! I went down later in the afternoon (and on and off over the week) for a look but sadly no luck although the lowering sun created quite an atmosphere and teal, coot, muntjac, little grebe, cetti's warbler, fox and great spotted woodpecker kept me entertained.
The lapwings were very restless yesterday from the Gadwall hide spending lots of time wheeling around in the sky, if this was due to the wind or a predator I am sure but some sought refuge on the islands from the Draper hide along with a nice group of shoveler, teal and gadwall, plus a few tufted duck, mallard, little grebe and up to 2 water rail have been showing over the last week. A fox was exploring the Draper quite casually over the weekend, stopping and sitting in the sun and then continuing to root around the edges of the vegetation, offering nice views to visitors on Saturday and Sunday.
A female peregrine put on a nice display from the Gadwall hide on Sunday 14th. She stooped catching a moorhen, carrying it off and gaining height she then dropped the moorhen which escaped off in to the vegetation. This offered great viewing to visitors as well as 2 of our volunteers Derrick and Sue as they were carrying out a wildlife watch from the Gadwall hide.
Other sightings include a shelduck which has been present from the Gadwall hide since 17th along with the male pintail which is continuing to show well. Three bullfinch were recorded along the trail on 17th and 2 goldcrest on 15th, 2 snipe 14th and jay, redwing, fieldfare and goldfinch all week.
Just a reminder that we will be closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day, but we hope to see you over the festive period or New Year.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Thanks
Vicky