Early January
Main highlights include hundreds of teal on the slough with some lapwing and snipe hiding around the edges of the vegetation. Pochard and tufted duck best on the sailing lake. Look out for flocks of siskin as well. It is also a good time of year to seen bullfinch at the reserve.
1st January
- Peregrine
- Water rail
- Goldcrest
- Nuthatch
- Treecreeper
- Red kite
- Sparrowhawk
- Marsh harrier
- Jay
- Lesser redpoll
4th January
Goldeneye added to the list today. Best spots in the wind today include:
- Sailing lake for diving ducks - tufted duck, pochard and goldeneye
- The slough from Bernard's hide - snipe, teal and lapwing.
5th to 7th January
There has seen an explosion of siskin at the start of the blue trail near the sailing lake with hundreds of them there. Look through these birds and an odd lesser redpoll can be found.
The sailing lake itself it really good for ducks with tufted duck, pochard, wigeon and gadwall present.
The slough continues to be a great spot for spending time watching snipe (over 20), lapwing and hundreds of teal.
A bittern was located on the Eastern lakes from Bess's hide.
The warm spell seems to have got our birds thinking about the breeding season with displaying ducks and a bit of activity from our great spotted woodpeckers in Ash Carr.
8th to 14th January
Siskin and ducks remain good around the blue trail near the centre. Diving ducks on the sailing lake and others on the slough.
Snipe numbers have increased and recent counts have been over 40 from Bernard's hide.
New to the list for the year include great-white egret, barn owl and great crested grebe.
15th to 19th January
This week we have seen the return to sunny days and hard frosts.
This has meant that some of our smaller lakes are currently frozen. Many of our water birds are gathered together around the open areas of water. The sailing lakes is completely free of ice so many water birds can be found there including tufted duck, pochard and wigeon.
The cold weather has meant that we are seeing lots of activity at the bird feeders in front of the centre. Look out for goldfinches, reed bunting, chaffinches, blackbirds, blue tits, long-tailed tits and great tits. Look out for the occasional visit from a coal tit, marsh tit, lesser redpoll and a female blackcap.
Our siskins remain good around the trails particularly by the path by the sailing lake. Look out for lesser redpoll with them as well.
New to the list for the year include blackcap (at the centre feeders), ruddy shelduck and Cettis Warbler.
20th January to 31st January
For much of this period the weather was cold and most of our lakes ended up frozen apart from a few small patches on the sailing lake and the slough. During this time a green sandpiper turned up on the slough adding to the years to date total. With the warmer weather these last few days, the lakes have returned to being ice free. This means lapwing, snipe and various ducks are back to use the lakes.
The centre feeders were very busy during this time with water rail and female blackcap being the main highlights along with the regulars like long-tailed tit.
Similarly siskin and lesser redpoll continue to be good around the reserve and the occasional one is now visiting our bird feeders by the centre.
