Although distant, the orange legs and bill of the bean goose stand out amongst the pink feet
The famous four are still being seen at Strumpshaw bearded tit, marsh harrier, otter, bittern, although the only one of the four which is appearing regularly in numbers is the faithful marsh harrier. A roost watch last Sunday produced 17 marsh and a single female hen harrier, while a fine male hen harrier was seen on Saturday from the riverbank. The wildfowl numbers are still very low at the fen, but with an incoming cold spell these may well rise. Winter thrushes have increased in the past two weeks, however they are still below the expected number, again these could increase with further cold weather and Northerly winds, they may also cause a waxwing or two to move.
Buckenham and Cantley are still producing some fantastic bird experiences. A count yesterday found 2 taiga bean geese in with the flock of 720 pink footed geese, this is a slight surprise seeing as the bean geese usually do not associate with other geese and it is also odd for just two to be present. Also on the marshes were 196 white-fronted geese, 632 lapwing, six dunlin, a single bewick’s swan and a winter peak of 2410 wigeon. 2 peregrines are still keeping a watch over the marshes as well as a large female sparrowhawk, 2 buzzards and 3-8 marsh harriers.
The trails are all open (except meadow trail) but the riverbank from the top of sandy wall past Tower Hide and Lackford Run are all quite muddy.
Cold weather is expected to reach us on Wednesday this week so we shall see what affect that has on the birds. I would hope that a few ducks move into the fen and Rockland Broad, with goldeneye, smew and goosander all possibilities, although we are more likely to see an increase in more common duck numbers as well as marsh harriers, snipe and possibly woodcock, it is possible that bittern numbers may increase too as they are forced out by frozen water....however we will see if it just media hype in due course.