Marsh Lane

Here we go again! Yet more dull and cold birding - I will soon be re-named as "the moaning birder"! Today I made my first visit of the year to Marsh Lane, arriving at 0730 and staying until the cold really got to me, leaving at 1130. I suppose I should have realised what the day had in store as I grappled with a Polar Bear by the second gate. Indeed, when I opened the Car Park Hide flaps, I was expecting to see Arctic Fox and Penguins! The omen, I suppose, was seeing 13 Magpie's in a bush between the sets of locked gates!

The view from Car Park Hide was spectacular with c300+ Wigeon, 30+ Pochard, 16 Shoveler, with Tufted Duck, Teal and Lapwing. All was tranquil until a Peregrine hoping for a Lapwing breakfast had everything in turmoil. . As I left the hide towards Oak hide, a single Buzzard and Kestrel were over the fields, and the weather worsened with sleet causing me to increase my pace.

There was very little on Railway and Oak Hide Pools, of note being the Black Swan and two Shelduck. I turned my attention to the feeders and surrounding bushes which contained at least 9 Tree Sparrows, 15 Chaffinch's, 11 Greenfinch's and a solitary Lesser Redpoll. A quick look out from the elevated position of Railway Hide, confirmed only that the sleet was worsening and little else was on the pools. Hardly surprising, but no one else was seen on the Reserve!

Shelduck

Mute Swans

Tree Sparrows, Dunnock and Wren

Tree Sparrows and Chaffinch

Tree Sparrows

Gadwall

Mute Swan with Black Headed Gulls

Black meets white

These are my nuts!

(More Images can be found on my Website - link opposite)

Todays Sightings:

Buzzard; Great Tit; B H Gull; Carrion Crow; Rook; Jackdaw; Kestrel; Cormorant; Chaffinch; Moorhen; Coot; Shoveler; Lapwing; Tufted Duck; Mallard; Mute Swan; Pochard; Wigeon; Teal; Green Woodpecker; Blackbird; Wood Pigeon; LBB Gull; Blue Tit; Magpie; Stock Dove; Peregrine; Dabchick; Gadwall; Greenfinch; Tree Sparrow; Dunnock; Shelduck; Black Swan; Wren; Robin; Great Spotted Woodpecker; Reed Bunting; Goldfinch; Lesser Redpoll; Pheasant; Pied Wagtail; Song Thrush; Linnet; Long Tailed Tit.