Winter wildlife spectacle
The reserve is looking fantastic at the moment with over 16,000 birds counted on the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) yesterday. Due to the foggy/overcast conditions there were even 72 Bewick's swans who stayed on the reserve rather than venturing out into the arable land.
All hides are open, with just a splash of water along the path to Reedbed hide. The summer walk and dragonfly ponds are now closed for winter.
Bird highlights seen from the hides included four goldeneye, 2,883 lapwing, 1,600 black-tailed godwits, 928 golden plover as well as 3,685 teal and 3,262 wigeon. The waders are creating a real spectacle when they get disturbed by birds of prey and try to evade them with impressive aerial manoeuvres. From the Wigeon cafe a flock of whooper swans can be watched most days enjoying the potatoes left out for them.
Also from the Wigeon cafe there are regular sightings each day of at least one kingfisher on the pond at the back of the centre.
