An afternoon visit to one of my favourite nature reserves today, proved very rewarding. On the pond, I recorded 9 Goldeneye, 1 female Gadwall, 70+ Wigeon, 60+ Teal, 20+ Tufted Duck and some Mallard. On the island, seven Cormorants relaxed like giant bats. In the skies above, two Buzzards watched from overhead, whilst two kestrels hovered. A Sparrowhawk and a Grey Heron also put in a brief appearance. The feeding station was alive with activity today. I noted all five Species of Tit including Coal, Blue, Great, Long-tailed and Willow Tit.
Amongst the ever-present Tree Sparrow, there were three Yellowhammers, one of which was particularly bright, 2 Reed Buntings, a Robin, two Stock Doves and a female Bullfinch.
There were no Grebes or Woodpeckers present today. There had been Otters present earlier in the day, but they didn’t appear in the afternoon. I was not disappointed as I was lucky to see a Roe Deer and a Weasel.
Finally I went for a walk, through ‘Little Waters’ and in the field at the back of the reserve, I caught up with thirteen White-fronted Geese and a single Greylag Goose. These were a welcome addition to my year list.
Paul Buskin
