A very mixed week of weather, starting with mild murky and damp conditions, but by Friday it was pleasant mild and sunny, although we are awaiting some strong winds later today.
The highlight bird of the week has been the hen harrier, a female has been fairly consistently being seen between 15.30 and 16.30 most afternoons throughout the past two weeks. The best location to view is either Fen Hide, Reception Hide (although it closes at 16.00) or from the riverbank. A male hen harrier was also seen flying over reception hide on Sunday afternoon, a lucky sighting for those who witnessed that one!
Another noteworthy sighting this week were 100 black tailed godwits flying east over sandy wall on Wednesday, a sure sign of waders getting ready for the coming breeding season and not a common site at all here in January. One of the nuthatches has returned to the woodland for spring, nuthatches often are here for late winter and spring and then leave again once they have finished breeding, so its good to have them back again.
Kingfishers, bitterns (including one that is croaking everywhere it goes!), bearded tits and otters have all been seen this week and about 20 marsh harriers have roosted most evenings.
The woodland continues to be alive with birds singing, this week a flock of siskins have been seen and heard around the alder trees in the woods, along with a few lesser (or should that now be ‘common’) redpoll. Bullfinch are now pairing up and the males can be heard singing occasionally in the mornings, there are pairs around reception, riverbank and in the woodland, I currently have the delight of them right outside my office window as I type.
The wildfowl are busy pairing up and the majority are now in their full breeding plumage, gadwall and shoveller are looking particularly good so its a good time of the year to pick out gadwall from female mallards if you sometimes struggle to do so.
The paths are all open and in fair condition, wellingtons are still recommended for the riverbank and Lackford Run but stout footwear would be ok if you do not mind them getting muddy.
A few weeks ago I spoke of an improver bird identification course, the advert is now live, so please look- here for more details.
And finally we had a total of 60 species of birds seen from reception in January.