The extensive work re-profiling the marsh and creating more spits out into the lake, as well as a channel into the reedbed, has provided new habitat and birds have been quick to occupy it. About 50 lapwing, several snipe, grey heron, moorhen, pied wagtail and a knot (23rd. for a couple of days) have all been taking advantage of it.
On the lake a pair of goldeneye has been sighted regularly along with16 goosander, up to 24 wigeon, 14 shoveler, 22 pochard, 6 gadwall, 6 teal and 40 tufted. In deeper water there were great-crested grebe and several cormorant, often seen drying themselves on the fence across the lake.
2 water rail have been seen almost daily from the hide, flitting in and out of the reeds on the far bank, by those visitors with ‘scopes. Other birds seen around the water’s edge have been grey wagtail, little grebe, reed bunting and kingfisher.
The trees around the reserve seemed to be full of redwing, fieldfare, large mixed flocks of siskin and lesser redpoll, numerous greenfinch and the occasional willow tit and mistle thrush.
The winter-plumaged meditteranean gull could still be spotted amongst the dozens of other gulls if you had the patience to search. Other resident birds to be seen were coal tit, long-tailed tit, house sparrow, bullfinch, goldfinch, goldcrest, green and great-spotted woodpecker.
An unusual attraction for visitors has been a crow with distinctive white in its wings.
Colin Sedgwick
See you on the reserves,
Best regards,
Chris Edwards