One of our super knowledgeable volunteers spotted these unusual looking galls on an oak tree at Redgrave & Lopham Fen this week. These galls are created by the parasitic wasp, Andricus aries. which lays its eggs in the buds of oak trees, resulting in elongated galls - hence the name ram’s horn gall.  

Trimley Marshes is a wonderful location to spot winter bird life, among this week’s highlights were bearded tit and snow bunting. The snow bunting is a sparrow-sized bird that breeds in the Arctic (from Scandinavia to Canada), and winters in the UK, mainly around the coast. Many thanks to Carl Earrye for sharing these stunning images. 

Warden Rachel and her team have been laying brash next to the footpath at Hazlewood Marshes to protect it from tidal erosion. The brash was left over from recent habitat management work at Blaxhall Common. The team moved it down the road to Hazlewood - a creative and environmentally friendly way of repurposing material without burning or chipping. 

Every month at Carlton Marshes our wardens and brilliant volunteers undertake the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS).  WeBS monitors non-breeding wildfowl, waders and other waterbirds to give an indication of population sizes, trends, distribution, and important sites for wildfowl and waders.  This week the team recorded 700+ wigeon, 450 lapwing and 100 snipe despite much of the water and ground being frozen. Many thanks to our hardy volunteers for braving the icy conditions again this month! 

Redgrave & Lopham Fen looked marvellous in the feathery frost earlier this week. A hoar frost occurs when the water vapour in the air meets plant surfaces that are already frozen, resulting in an accumulation of frost.