sightings board March

Muntjac crossing

This Muntjac deer slowly ambled across the bridge over the Mere whilst working party attendees sipped hot drinks in the bird hide. It then slowly made its way down the path on the other side, stopping to nibble at the grass. This is by far the best sighting I've had of a Muntjac as they're usually running away into the bushes.

Walk round reserve

Sightings board for January

Bullrushes standing out more in winter

Tree as sculpture

the cold snap is over

so I ventured out onto the reserve for the first time in a month or so.
I found it still buzzing with activity.

01.02.2010

Siskin take niger seeds, let's hope the goldfinches don't object.
No luck catching them in a natural setting this time,
still, got them last year so can't complain. . .see blog for 17.01.2009.

Siskin like sunflower hearts too, -it pays to be versatile.


a little run of little grebe pictures:

Not the clearest image, but how many times have you seen a little grebe
OUT of the water? Me? Never.

a blackbird, waiting for me to leave the feeder area.

Wherever you are on the site, someone is watching you.

The Mere's secretive resident pheasant, also watching warily.

Snowdrops never cease to amaze do they?
The snow clears and there they are!

The last of this winter's redwing flock, it felt as if I had scared them all away,
but they were probably on their way North again soon anyway . . .

Most of the red in redwing name stems from the red on the bird's body.
This redwing shows more of it's plumage, just for the camera.

In the midst of winter

David, who is recording numbers of species for the Reserve, remarked that 'December was the most species in a month so far for him. January could be better still'.
On 18th January he commented:
'Yesterday morning was brilliant for Ducks: 9 gadwall and 3 shovellers ...I'm not so sure they will have enjoyed the Wassail though!'

Wassailing birds

A brilliantly attended wassail today on the reserve, not just by people but also by birds.


This is actually an older picture from a few weeks ago of Siskin high in the stand of Alder trees where they feed on the seeds. Today I saw Siskin on the feeders.

Two pairs of Gadwall stayed happily towards the far end of the mere. I understand they've been a relatively constant presence recently. The female looks a lot like a Mallard female, but the biggest clue is the lack of a green flash on the wing.

Best of all was a Little Egret that swooped in briefly, stalking the shallows of the mere for just a minute before heading off again. This seems to be a wassail tradition!