Winter duck numbers increasing
2 Bittern - main lake N shore
1 Jack Snipe - wader scrape
11 Snipe - wader scrape, grazing marsh
2 Shelduck - main lake
7 Pintail - main lake, reservoir lagoon
1 Goldeneye - reservoir lagoon
2 Water Pipit - grazing marsh, wader scrape
93 Shoveler - main lake, grazing marsh, reservoir lagoon, wader scrape, wildside
22 Pochard - main lake, sheltered lagoon, reservoir lagoon
8 Redwing - South route
3 Fieldfare - South route
December bird highlights: Shelduck, Goldeneye, Goosander, Bittern, Great White Egret, Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit, Jack Snipe, Little Owl, Peregrine, Red Kite, Yellow-legged Gull, Brambling, Water Pipit, Skylark, Rock Pipit.
Bitterns (up to 3 birds so far) can be found mostly on the main lake shores, particularly the north shore. The flooded wader scrape and marsh have plenty of feeding winter duck including Pintail, Shoveler, Wigeon and Teal, as well as Jack Snipe, Snipe and Water Pipit. Also on the main lake there’s been occasional Yellow-legged Gull, hunting Peregrine, Water Rail, Snipe and Lapwing. Gadwall and Goldeneye can be found on the reservoir lagoon. Listen out for possible Bearded Tit in the reedbed; this species often appears during November/December. Alder and Birch trees across the reserve hold some mixed flocks of Goldfinch and occasional Siskin.
