Latest Sightings
Overcast but not particularly cold in the light winds today.
Solid numbers of wildfowl using the reserve with fifteen species of swan, geese and duck present with upwards of 15,000 birds; Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Pink-footed Geese, Greylag, Canada, Shelduck, Mallard, Teal, Wigeon, Gadwall, Pintail, Shoveler, Pochard, Tufted and Goldeneye.
Check any Pink-footed Geese flocks for rarer geese.
Barn Owl(s) and Tawny Owl(s) have been showing daily. Barn Owl can be seen well from the Ron Barker Hide but also distantly from other hides. For direction for the Tawny Owl(s) call in at the in focus shop.
Merlin, Peregrine, Marsh Harrier, 3+ Buzzard, 2 Sparrowhawk and Kestrel all today.
As of late 700+ Lapwing, 70+ Black-tailed Godwit, 60+ Ruff and many Snipe.
In last 8 years we've put together a year list of bird species seen on/from the reserve. The numbers fluctuate so in 2018 we recorded 153 species compared to 169 in 2012.
We are off to a good start with yesterday's Bewick's Swan(s) and today Treecreeper has been seen along the Nature Trail. Any count over 90 species for January is good. We'll keep you posted when we add new species from the 1st Feb onward.
