Latest Sightings
This week the temperature has really dropped on the reserve. The first proper frosts have set in and large sections of the mere have frozen over. Wildfowl can be seen either gathering in the parts that haven’t frozen over or attempting to skitter across the ice.
We’ve had an influx of new swans, fresh from migration with the orange soils of Iceland still staining their heads. Hopefully the cold weather will push some more down.
There were three pochard in front of Discovery hide before the feed yesterday.
A lone cattle egret was perched on one of the cows backs this morning, avoiding the frosty ground in the fields.
The gadwall, black headed gulls and shovelers were gathered in the small part of the reed bed pool that had not frozen over. They were joined by two mute swans, one of which fell through the ice as it tried to walk across it.
Pink footed geese are staying on the reserve in larger numbers as the weather gets colder. Large flocks were seen on Plover field in front of United Utilities and in front of Sunley’s pool at Ron Barker. Groups of pink feet have also been flying fast and low into the reserve during the day, following the sounds of gun shots from surrounding fields.
In wader news there were 20+ ruff on the mere island this afternoon. On the reedbed snipe were flushed up from the paths and a woodcock was seen flying over its southern boundary.
A jay flew over Janet Kear hide this morning, and a woodpecker could be heard drumming away at the trees behind the feeders. A bullfinch was seen down in the trees at Ron Barker.
A water rail was seen bathing and preening in the sluice, visible from united utilities and from the path down to Gordon Taylor. Usually a very elusive bird, the cold weather traps the water rail’s food sources under the ice meaning they have to be a little more gregarious in searching for food.
A stoat was seen skittering across the iced pool in the bull’s field yesterday. The roe deer have been spotted drinking from Vinsion’s and Sunley’s pools earlier this week.
