Wow where did that month go!
This week has seen a mix of bright sunshine and snow showers, today started at -2 and was very frosty, but cleared to reveal a beautiful big blue sky, lovely.
The typical winter birds are still present in much the same numbers, with redwing and fieldfare numbers increasing very slightly in the woodland. The nuthatches are beginning to make their presence very obvious by being very vocal, a territorial gesture for others passing by. The woodland today also held bullfinch, goldcrest and the usual tits including a good number of singing marsh tits. The first of the drumming great spotted woodpeckers was heard yesterday morning along with snowdrops standing tall to give brief hints of spring.
The fen sightings have remained largely the same as in recent weeks with near daily otter and bittern sightings, bearded tits have become more scarce with the colder weather, however a small flock can be found in the reedy ditch at Buckenham. Tower hide held 200 teal, a few gadwall, shoveler and mallards today, a welcome increase from recent weeks. Marsh Harriers remain on show throughout the day with our aberrant white bellied female being seen daily from reception hide, the male hen harrier was last seen on Saturday, but is almost certainly somewhere nearby.
Buckenham and Cantley have remained strong this week with a peak of 2400 wigeon, 50 golden plover, 130 lapwing, 100 white-fronted geese, 800 pink footed geese, but no sign of the taiga bean geese. Peregrines are still visible on the gate posts and a pair of mistle thrushes have taken up residence near the station at Buckenham. Up to four stonechats can be seen across the reserves at present, with a showy female at Buckenham hide and a fine looking male at the far end of Cantley.
The continuing cold weather along with Northerly winds could push some regular winter birds further south in the coming week. If you usually have siskins in your garden they may well be missing this winter, they certainly are on the reserve. Recent findings have shown that this is due to a bumper sitka spruce seed crop, this means that the birds are doing well and feeding happily on natural supplies elsewhere, maybe it will result in a bumper breeding season and more siskins to enjoy!