News

Today's sightings

Today's sightings

Bewick's swan Whooper swan Mute swan Greylag Canada goose Bean goose (Tundra) x 5 White-fronted goose x 5 (Lady Fen) Egyptian goose x 2 Shelduck Shoveler Mallard Pintail Gadwall Wigeon Pochard Tufted duck Coot Moorhen White stork (Reedbed hide) Great egre

27 December 2018

Singing stormcocks

Singing stormcocks

A calm morning with a hint of Spring in the air with a few singing Mistle Thrush around the reserve.  Also known as a 'stormcock', they are one of the first to start claiming their territory for the breeding season ahead.  Despite not even making it to

27 December 2018

Wildlife sightings - 27/12/18

Wildlife sightings - 27/12/18

a.m. Tide Level: High Wader Lake Stock dove 2 Grey heron 2 Curlew 10 Water rail (Diageo hide) 1 Lapwing 40 Peregrine 1 Snipe 5 Shelduck 11 Teal 15 Black-headed gull 13 Saline Lagoon Grey heron 1 Shelduck 2 Teal 46 Hawthorn Wood Lesser redpoll 4 Brambling

27 December 2018

Latest Sightings - Thursday 27th December

Latest Sightings - Thursday 27th December

Another cloudy but dry morning on the reserve. The Great Egret is on the merse at the moment, usually to the west of the Saltcot Merse Observatory. A Sparrowhawk has been using the Saltcot Loaning and a Kestrel hovering over the Corner Field. Curlew, Lapw

27 December 2018

Snipe showing well on the marsh

Snipe showing well on the marsh

2 Bittern - main lake (SE shore and N shore by Headley Hide) 1 Jack Snipe - wader scrape 1 Chiffchaff - wildside 2 Shelduck - main lake 4 Pintail - main lake, reservoir lagoon 1 Goldeneye - reservoir lagoon 1 Water Pipit - grazing marsh 7 Snipe - graz

27 December 2018

Boxing Day birding

Boxing Day birding

The Bewick's Swans were again at 92 birds this morning, including all four families with cygnets.  Another adult dropped in shortly after the feed, a male known as Shoon (pictured) who has been visiting for around 8 years. South Lake At least 27 Pochard

26 December 2018

Today's sightings

Today's sightings

Bewick's swan Whooper swan Mute swan Greylag Canada goose White-fronted goose Shelduck Shoveler Mallard Pintail Wigeon Pochard Goldeneye Tufted duck Cormorant Coot Moorhen Water rail (calling) Great egret Little egret Curlew Black-tailed godwit Redshank S

26 December 2018

Latest Sightings - Wednesday 26th December

Latest Sightings - Wednesday 26th December

The mist of yesterday has cleared so we can at least see the reserve this morning. It's a dry start to the day, with plenty to see. Barnacle Geese are all around the site, duck numbers are high in the Flood Ground and Folly Pond. Waders have returned to t

26 December 2018

Wildlife sightings - 26/12/18

Wildlife sightings - 26/12/18

a.m. Tide Level: Mid Wader Lake Teal 44 Shoveler 3 Lapwing 30 Shelduck 2 Grey heron 1 Saline Lagoon Curlew 38 Teal 54 Hawthorn Wood Brambling 6 Siskin 1 Nuthatch 1 Great spotted woodpecker 1 Goldfinch 6 Robin 3 Chaffinch 8 Coal tit 1 Bullfinch 10 Redpoll

26 December 2018

Boxing day birding

Boxing day birding

2 Bittern - main lake (SE shore and N shore by Headley Hide) 4 Pintail - main lake 1 Goldeneye - reservoir lagoon 2 Shelduck - main lake 1 Water Pipit - grazing marsh 15 Redwing - entrance area 7 Fieldfare - flew over heading S 1 Chiffchaff - wildsid

26 December 2018

Christmas Eve sightings

Christmas Eve sightings

Rushy Hide At least 81 Bewick's Swans present at dawn, good numbers of duck also present but the Pochard and Tufted Duck have been rather nervous, many moving to the South Lake and Long Ground Pool. Two Redshank and 10 Snipe present with large congregati

24 December 2018

Today's sightings

Today's sightings

Bewick's swan Whooper swan Mute swan Greylag Canada goose Barnacle goose White-fronted goose x 2 Shelduck Shoveler Mallard Pintail Gadwall Wigeon Teal Goldeneye (Lyle hide) Pochard Tufted duck Coot Moorhen Water rail White stork (reedbed hide) Grey heron

24 December 2018

Latest Sightings - Monday 24th December

Latest Sightings - Monday 24th December

A frost last night has frozen many of the ponds and fields. Whooper Pond, Folly Pond and the Flood Ground are mostly ice free and that's where most of the birds are at the moment.   A Mistle Thrush in the Avenue this morning is a fairly unusual species f

24 December 2018

Wildlife sightings - 24/12/18

Wildlife sightings - 24/12/18

a.m Tide Level: Low Wader Lake Water rail 1 Snipe 6 Shelduck 9 Teal 13 Saline Lagoon Sparrowhawk 1 Shelduck 1 Hawthorn Wood Brambling 1 Chaffinch 9 Nuthatch 1 Willow tit 1 Great spotted woodpecker 1 Bullfinch 6 Blue tit 5 Coal tit 4 Great tit 9 Other bird

24 December 2018

4 Bitterns and 3 Jack Snipe!

4 Bitterns and 3 Jack Snipe!

(Male Reed Bunting with food, Russ Myners)   4 Bittern - main lake (SE shore, NE shore, N shore by Headley Hide) 3 Jack Snipe - scrape, main lake island 21 13 Reed Bunting - main lake, reedbed, south route/main l

24 December 2018