The day started cold but warmed up so the remaining ice on most of the lagoons melted. Here are the highlights:-
GADWALL HIDE : L1 provided the best sightings for most people: 2 Shelduck 2 Little Grebes 3 Common Gulls 1 Lesser black-backed Gull 4 Shoveler 1 Grey Wagtail
ELSEWHERE Cetti's Warbler - seen and heard in the Lee Marsh Common Buzzard - seen in the distance from the Draper 3 Ring-necked Parakeet - flew south over the reserve at dusk Great-spotted Woodpecker - at the Kingfisher hide Chiffchaff - also at the Kingfisher hide Kingfisher - flew across in front of the Lapwing hide
As I arrived at the Tern Hide during the closing walk, the couple in there said that I had just missed a Bittern that had been in the reedbed to the right as seen from the hide about 30m away. It had flown over into the Lee Marsh area. I saw the photos on their camera screen. In the hide logs for the Tern and Gadwall hides there were reports of 2 Bitterns seen yesterday. This is the second time that I have missed seeing a Bittern at Rye Meads; third time lucky.