Lowestoft Life - 30th - 31st January 2025

Yesterday I had a talk to give the other side of Ipswich for the Suffolk Bird Club and so left at lunchtime to bird my way south.  It was cold but glorious and I began at Hen Reedbeds after a wiggle through the lanes.

The marsh has had some serious seasonal  reed clearance and looked great but was completely birdless with not a single duck, heron or even Moorhen in the shallow cut areas.  It was very odd.  Marsh Harriers were quartering further back and there were eight Buzzards and a Red Kite circling within the inland view but I do not think the raptors were responsible for the lack of birds on the deck.

I walked down and across the road and out along the river wall.  The tide was in and there was a flock of Curlews up on the grassy hill with a few Rooks but I could not find another wader roosting up anywhere and again not one duck.  Some days you begin to wonder if the birds are avoiding you.  Two more Marsh Harriers were over the big reedbed and a Kingfisher dashed back towards the road as I retraced my steps.

Curlews

Back at the car I could hear Siskins in the Alders and a couple of Great Tits.  Time to move on.  Track 42 on Westleton next and I had it to myself with no heavy plant this time.  The heather here looks a lot healthier than that on the main area of the heath towards Minsmere and I was pleased to find a pair of Stonechat, two Linnets and three Dartford Warblers.  The latter were moving around together and occasionally popped up on top but were completely silent. There were more Buzzards on the wing and the pig fields were full of Rooks, Starlings and gulls.

Gorse in bloom but too cold for any coconut smell

Stonechat

I diverted down to Dunwich Beach for a quick look at the sea and managed to pick up a flock of about 70 Common Scoter with a female Long-tailed Duck bobbing amongst them and Red-throated Divers were scattered across my scope scan.  Closer in a bull Grey Seal was pushing small fish to the surface and attracting a few gull who were trying to pick up tit bits and the odd ‘flying’ fish!

Inland the marsh was simply devoid of any bird life at all and a walk along the shingle produced one distant Wigeon!  I seem to remember chuckling, shaking my head and walking back to the car.

Thorpeness Mere next – no diving duck at all and just a few Gadwall and a pair of Egyptian Geese so I made my way down to North Warren.  I soon found about 50 gleaming Barnacle Geese – not as many as I expected but despite a walk and diligent scanning I could not find one Russian White-fronted Goose.  Not sure where they had snuck off too. As ever there was a distant Great White Egret and an 'Essence of' shot was required.

Barnacle Geese 

Great White Egret and a vague Parliament of Rooks

There was a fine flock of Wigeon grazing the meadows with the odd Pintail amongst them but most of this most elegant of ducks were to the south of the track on the deeper pools.  The Rooks were the most engaging species here with flocks coming and going from the pastures where some concerted probing was underway.  Groups would spiral up in to the blue and engage in musical Rooky conversations before tumbling back down to earth gleaming black and silver as they went.  Sometimes the commonest of birds can bring the most joy and salvage even the most frustrating of days.

The talk on Costa Rica went very well and it felt like a frosty day would be following it but alas when I got up early this morning it was already grey and drizzly and our day out in the Broads followed on in this theme.  However, despite the appalling light and persistent wet we did rather well.

St Benet’s Abbey was the first stop and I picked up four distant Cranes coming in to the west before the crew arrived and I could even hear them even though I suspect they were over a mile away. The Cattle Egrets were in the same field with the bullocks and now numbered eight but only Andrea saw the Short-eared Owl.

Cattle Egrets

Cranes!

A scan around from the ruins soon gave us a fine red wing tagged adult male Marsh Harrier and some distant Pink-feet coming in and I suspect they were part of the huge flock that were leaving Breydon and dispersing north as we passed by earlier.

Marsh Harrier

Lizzie found a rather robust Stoat busily dragging a deceased adult Moorhen across the track and down into the reed margins before a passing Harrier or Carrion Crow could notice it.  Cetti’s Warbler sung and a Stonechat was in the sedgy patch.  A Barn Owl surprised us and came in high over the river before dropping like a stone back into the farm barns.  I suspect it had been caught out by the earlier heavy rain and was making a dash back its day roost.

Lipara lucens - Cigar Gall Fly

I failed to find any more Cranes and there were only Mutes out on the marsh were Chinese Water Deer were liberally scattered as usual. A glance behind gave us a gleaming adult male Hen Harrier.  He wove his way towards us and then veered closer, disappearing behind the closest riverside Willow.  We waited in anticipation for the reappearance, scopes at the ready but he never came back out and must have kept super low behind the bank and continued east.  Regardless it was as ever a wonderful encounter.

The drizzle was reverting back to chilly rain again so we retreated and went off to look for the Ingham Swans which of cause was completely absent today with just hunch backed Mutes being seen so we opted for the sensible option of a coffee at the Dunes café at Waxham Barns before popping up onto the top of the dunes for a look at the sea (eight Cormorants) and inland where the visibility had deteriorated badly.  There were Curlew, Oystercatchers and Turnstones in the closer fields and  Green Dotpiper on a puddle a long way back. Ten Whooper Swans head and necks appeared above the sedges on a pool we could not see and I thankfully picked up two Cranes way over the back.  I initially did not notice the other seven drifting in and out of visibility in the field just behind them and by the time we drove around towards Hickling it was pleasing to discover that we could see that field easily from the road and watched these most stately of birds turning over the ploughed surface for anything they thought may be edible. A flock of Pink-feet were grazing in the field behind them.

Cranes with Pink-feet beyond

Cranes

Hickling for lunch with the feeders thronging with the usual Tit suspects before we headed out on the walk to Stub Mill.  A couple of Treecreepers gave close prolonged views on the walk down and a pair of Muntjac were in the first sedgy meadow and as usual were nonplussed by our presence. Brendan’s Marsh was full of the regular dabblers and were joined by a good number of Lapwing and nine Curlews but not one Snipe.  A Green Sandpiper was close enough to actually see some features this time.

Four Water Pipits were seen flying around but never on the deck and we added Pied Wagtail and Meadow Pipits to the list along with a mobile flock of bimbling Linnets.  Four Great White Egrets and our first Little Egret were seen and there were so many Marsh Harriers quartering the reedbeds in all directions.   

Great White Egret

Common Buzzards were sat up looking rather miffed at the weather and two Kestrels were studiously hovering.  We had no intention in hanging around till the very bitter end and with darkening rain laden skies behind us we ambled back getting an escort from a party of over 30 Long-tailed Tits with a few Blue Tits and two Goldcrests in tow. 

We were all cold and damp and quite rightly decided that we had a good day in trying conditions and should escape home while it was still officially light.

Thirty Years Ago - January 1995

1^st January:

I got home from last night’s do just before the snow arrived and once this white start to ’95 had finished I was more than surprised to see a fine male Peregrine cruise over the house only 30 feet above roof top level.  The first new garden bird for quite a while. [Eds: They were only just getting a toe hold in London at that time]

2^nd January:

Three Goldcrests were thoroughly investigating the Scots Pine in the garden but the snow did not bring I anything else.  The Mistle Thrush still thinks he owns the garden.

6^th January:

I spent the day with Roy and Simon to scout out the Lee Valley for the Birdrace on Sunday [Eds: off which there is no mention in my notes at all??] and 74 species without a concerted effort was very respectable.  Fishers Green was our first stop and one of the Bitterns gave himself up without too much hassle. It was to be one of the ‘no camera’ days with exceptional views of Kingfishers and Water Rail, lots of finches, Chiffchaffs and the slightly dubious Ferruginous Duck [Eds: no recollection of this at all].

Inconsiderate sods in the Grebe Hide would not let us in so we crept around the front, flushing a Water Rail and getting great views of the Red-necked Grebe consorting with the Aythya flock. There was no sign of the Smew and just a few Goosanders.

On to Broxbourne where we failed to find Blackcap but did pick up more Siskins and a couple of Bullfinches. The wood above Amwell gave us Nuthatch and Treecreeper and three bonus Hawfinches. My first since 1992.  The reserve itself provided us with two Egyptian Geese, some Snipe and a flock of six female and a male Smew.  There were no unusual Grebes and Gulls so we hit Rye Meads and picked up both Grey and Pied Wagtail and Water Pipit along with a large flock of Magpies.

7^th January:

I drove up to Cambridge last night to allow an early start with Adrian W for a Norfolk bash. Naturally we started off by dipping the Golden Pheasants at Wolferton but what’s new! A little further up the coast thousands of Pinkfeet were streaming in off the Wash making a fitting picture against the rising sun.

Heacham was our first proper stop and it was bloody cold but we persevered and soon picked up a couple of Purple Sandpipers on the groynes along with a host of other wader year ticks. Seventeen Snow Buntings grovelled in the tideline debris and included a stunning male.  Hunstanton next, passing more geese on the way. The sea was very disappointing with only a small flock of Eider, a few Mergansers and Goldeneye but no Scoter at all.  The only Grebe was unusually a Black-necked which bobbed close in amongst the surf. Fulmars were being very idle and preferred to cackle in flocks on the sea rather than gliding about looking sinister.

Titchwell next and a walk down to the sea pausing to look at the feeders and pool near the centre where there were lots of Tits and Robins as well as a very tame Water Rail. Most of the reserve was frozen solid and we headed straight down passing Reed Buntings, Rock and Water Pipits while a Lapland Bunting flew over calling and out towards Thornham.

The Black-winged Stilt was no where to be seen so we checked the beach and picked up a few other waders and gulls but the sea itself was dead. Down at the East Hide [Eds: pre Parrinder] a Spotted Redshank was heard and news that the Stilt was back on the beach pool, looking for all the world like a Black-headed Gull front on so either this is why we failed to see it on the way down or we were just being totally incompetent.  Brent Geese touched down on the icy pools, skidding uncontrollably upon landing but we could not find an over wintering Marsh Harrier [Eds: still a good winter bird way back then]

Burnham Overy Dunes next and a long and disgustingly muddy walk out to the dunes where we were hoping to find Shorelarks and a Richard’s Pipit. Bryan Bland and co was heading in the same direction and he was till wearing shorts, faded blue fisherman’s smock and wellies despite the bitter weather.

Both species had been lost but we had a good look round and were just watching a Barn Owl hunting behind a Pinkfoot and White-fronted Goose flock when the Pipit was re-found but lost just as quickly out on the saltmarsh but a Woodcock was put up and flew close by.  Thankfully the Richard’s Pipit returned and gave superb views on the short grass between the Marrams.

Richard’s Pipit 

With no sign of the Shorelarks we headed back, keeping to the lower saltmarsh side where navigating several feet of weed, wood and plastic was easier that the path.  Those Larks were re-appeared as we got to the car but we chose to ignore the message and pressed on.  Stiffkey next where a Little Egret had been present for some time but the tide was out and our chances were slim but we had only been out of the car a short while when it flew right past us! [Eds: Still such a cool bird back then]

The Twite flock eluded us at Morston Quay so we made our way to the East Bank at Cley.  Arnolds was almost totally flooded and many Starlings, Dunlin and Pipits were feeding around the edges. A smart Red-necked Grebe was on the main pool consorting with several Goldeneye while further back a female Long-tailed Duck was diving amongst some Mallard. We could only find five of the Snow Buntings amongst a mixed Linnet, Twite and Goldfinch flock amongst the skeletal Yellow-honed Poppy plants on the landwards side of the shingle.

The sea seemed quiet but suddenly a few Red-throated Divers appeared along with  a couple of Great Crested Grebes, Guillemots, Razorbills and both Common and Velvet Scoters.

All the dabblers suddenly left the pool behind us and landed on the sea and included several Pintail.  The walk back gave us a couple of pinging  Bearded Tits so we called it a day and headed for home where Adrian in his wisdom managed to get us caught in all the football traffic trying to get out of Cambridge.

8^th January:

A morning dash with Ian W to Abberton where a White Headed Duck had been tentatively identified. Judging by the reasonable crowd, it was obviously still present and we were soon enjoying sleeping views of this chunk cinnamon coloured duck as it bobbed around with 70 Ruddy Ducks.

With positive news on the African race Chaffinch at Fingringhoe, we headed quickly in that direction. Three hours were wasted waiting for it to appear which of course it did not. Back at the reservoir the duck had livened up and was actively feeding with the Ruddys.  It’s age and sex were uncertain and opinions divided as to its provenance.  As usual I will make my own mind up. [Eds: we were later to find out, it was in fact a first-winter male…]

A nice flock of Bewick’s Swans were seen and a family trumpeted not far from the causeway and a Red-throated Diver flew low over the causeway and was a welcome addition to my Abberton list [Eds: I think I had lists for most of the places I visited back then!] With the weather being decidedly pissy and deteriorating we came home. 

9^th January:

A morning spent unloading pallets of directories at Fairlop Waters allowed my to have a squint at the Long-tailed Duck. [Eds: Back then none of us had mobiles or the internet… to find out a person’s number you had to look in the ‘BT phonebook’ and if it was a company you were after you needed the ‘Yellow Pages’.  Let your fingers do the walking… We had fun unloading them off the Artics in the car park for people to overload their cars with for delivery before taking a couple of routes home do deliver myself]

11^th January:

Back to Abberton and Fingringhoe.  Terribly windy and terrible birding with three hours wasted on that bloody Chaffinch again and sleeping views only of the White-headed Duck. Pete G was not amused!

15^th January:

Steve Bacon invited me on a Kentish excursion to give his new diesel Fiesta a good run. We started the day at Scotney Pit on the borders where a typical winter assortment of wildfowl was gathered.  As hoped for, the Scaup flock was present and numbered 15 or so in a mixture of plumages and were associating with Pochard and Tufted Ducks. The only Grebes we could find were Great Crested and Little but there were three Red-throated and a Black-throated Diver. Canada and Greylag Geese were grazing and six Barnacle Geese were with them [Eds: the start of the feral flock down there?]

Scotney Pit 

Over the back of the pit a flock of 21 adult and four juvenile Bewick’s Swans flew in from Dengemarsh. Down at Dungeness we quickly found eight redhead and a drake Smew, three Slavonian Grebes, two Red-necked Grebes, a few Goosander and Ruddy Ducks as well as all the other usual wildfowl. [Eds: These days any one of these species would be a good visit…]

There was no sign of the Glaucous Gull but a Yellow-legged Gull was a half expected find while a ringtail Hen Harrier quartered the bushes and made frequent stoops.

After buying some cod from the shack on the beach we headed to the toilet block at Greatstone where the adult Med Gull was seen upon arrival and a casual scan of the sea revealed it to be covered in birds with dozens of Red-throated Divers, a Black-throat and two Great Northerns, two Mergansers and countless Great Crested Grebes.

With plenty still to do we made our way across county to Reculver to look for the five Shorelarks present since October.  They gave us the run around by eventually dropped right in in front of us on their favourite raised area of beach before twittering off to the adjacent winter wheat fields.

Shorelarks

Time was short  and the Red-breasted Goose still had to be seen but it did not take long to get to Blacketts Farm in Tonge and it took no time at all to find the goose amongst several hundred Brents as they grazed the nearest fields. The sun was behind us and the views were superb. A strikingly obvious Black Brant was also with them along with a strange hybrid that superficially resembled a Lesser White-front.

Onwards again to Harty which annoyingly was immediately opposite our goose watching spot but  the drive round was worth the effort with six raptor species seen in the remaining daylight. Hen and Marsh Harriers were numerous with two ringtail and a male of the former tumbling over our heads. Two Rough-legged Buzzards were found – one on the deck and one way off in the distance and the vast Golden Plover and Lapwing flocks were spooked by Peregrine and Merlin (which perched up on a fencepost).  A Short-eared Owl appeared and we picked up Greylags, White-fronts and Bewick’s Swans in the fading light while Starlings, Corn Buntings, Skylarks and Greenfinches headed off to roost at the end of a superb day out.

21^st January:

The African Chaffinch was still at Fingringhoe and I was getting marginally irritated by my failed attempts. Reports were coming in about angry farmers, loaded shotguns and thrown crockery at cars the previous weekend and I naturally approached with some caution. [Eds: viewing was from your car on a roadside around an area of hard standing I seem to recall]. I had a long wait as before and had just been chatting to Tony and Jeanette when they noticed that the chap in the car behind was on something, and there it was and wow what a blindingly obvious and unmistakeable bird.

My initial impression was of a blue grey finch with a black frontal blaze but closer inspection revealed a pale salmon pink and pale grey flush to the underparts and an olive green back.  Two large wingbars much as a nominate bird but the second appeared broader on the inner feathers.  

African Chaffinch, House Sparrow and Chaffinches

The rain started about that time so after watching it come and go a few times I trundled happily for home (once I had persuaded my damp car to start).  It may have taken my 15 hours but I was glad to have stuck with it. You never know, they may even split it… [Eds: That did indeed happen eventually but they never accepted the Abberton bird to a specific race and this even now it lurks in BBRC limbo I believe.  It’s ok Mr Kettle – it’s on my list]

22^nd January:

An atrociously wet day in Kent which resulted in distant views of both the Red-breasted Goose and Black Brant again but to be quite frank, not a lot else.

27^th January:

An afternoon in light rain helping Dad with some chain sawing up at Gernon Bushes proved quiet with only a couple of Marsh Tits and Nuthatches of note.

Lowestoft Life - 22nd - 26th January 2025

It has all been about the weather and I am still reluctant to drag my bones out when the sky is leaden and wind is blowing but after helping out Antony with some garden work down at the Outlaws in Wrentham on Wednesday there was time for a drive around the lanes and a short walk on the Sotterely estate with Hawfinches in mind.  

Acleris schalleriana in the Wrentham garden

We lucked out but it was still despite the clinging drizzle and we did find a vocal flock of Redwings and a few Chaffinches and Linnets.  Coal Tits, Nuthatches and both Woodpeckers were found but it was the glowing Bullfinches that made the walk worthwhile.

Back at home I began the creation of a new bog garden alongside the two small back garden ponds, sacrificing a patch of rank grass to hopefully provide my carnivorous plants a summer home.  I will start planting it in the spring but in the meantime the moss can get a foothold.

With the weather on Sunday looking to turn grim again we decided to head up into The Broads for a few hours while the sky was at least still attempting to stay blue.  The tide was fully out at Breydon Water and the Wigeon were huddled along the banks but the waders were scattered on the drive by and mere dots.  Acle Straight was good though with floppy flocks of flappy Lapwings comingled with Starlings and the odd Ruff while certain fields held probing Curlews and Irish Dancing Gulls.

A Great White Egret stood alongside a ditch with various Grey Herons and Little Egrets in likewise poses and a large flock of Pink-feet gleamed in the rapidly diminishing sunshine.  You could see the greyness creeping in from the west and the breeze was also picking up.  Towards the northern end of the Straight there were Common Buzzards dotted every few hundred yards along the telephone wires and as usual there were several Kestrels and Marsh Harriers too.  It is amazing what you can see from a moving vehicle at a steady speed.

Road signs suggested that getting to St Benets Abbey was not possible with road closed signs from both entry points but in reality the closure was closer to the Ludham end and you could still get to the track down to the end.  I think that the signs had put many people off as there were only a handful of diehard photographers down there waiting for the Short-eared Owls. The temperature had dropped and the wind was biting as I got myself ready and in the field behind me there were six Cattle Egrets following around the two bullocks grazing there.  Just like Little Egret over 30 years ago, it is so good to now just bump into this enigmatic species.

Cattle Egrets

I headed down to the Abbey ruins and looked back towards the car. A guy with his camera was in the bushes obviously hoping for an Owl encounter but he had a dog with him off the lead and inevitably it pushed through and flushed a roosting Short-eared Owl from the grass to be followed by the camera much in the way of someone using a hound to flush game for a different type of shooting.  It seems that every time I come down here I encounter some behaviour that makes me cringe.

After a brief fly round the Owl went back into the grass out of reach.  It had been a calm night and I suspect good feeding was had and with the worsening conditions it just needed to rest up and stay dry.

Two Cranes were way out on the levels off towards Thurne and a vast flock of Pinkies grazed way over the back while Kestrels, Marsh Harriers and Buzzards played in the wind and watched patiently from the scattered bushes.  There were no big Lapwing flocks and not one duck or wild swan but it was good to hear the first singing Skylark of the year along with a calling Meadow and Water Pipits.  A Red Kite circled over the distant tree line before the increasing cold drove me back to the car where a couple of Stonechats and chacking Fieldfares were seen.

Kestrel

Common Cranes and Thurne

and the sun was obscured once again

From here we wiggled through towards Ingham and after a drive around the lanes of Lessingham and Eccles managed to find two Swan flocks – the first of 12 Bewick’s, six Mutes and a Whooper and the other with just 22 Whoopers.  None where particularly close but it was good to catch up with them.  It was now grey and bitterly cold and windy and lunch at Waxham was taken in the car and I did not even go up onto the dunes this time!

It was time to call it a day and head homewards conveniently passing seven Tundra Bean Geese in a field with dozens of Egyptian Geese where the Martham road meets the A149 before taking a drive along the Great Yarmouth seafront.  It was surprisingly busy but I could not find any Med Gulls.  At the southern end we came across a huge memorial column with Britannia perched up on top.  It is called the Norfolk Naval Pillar and unsurprisingly is dedicated to Admiral Nelson and his naval victories.  Britannia looks inland and north-west towards his birth place in Burnham Thorpe. It was originally situated on the sandy South Denes but now sits incongruously with the industrial sprawl at this end of the town.  I am not quite sure how I have never noticed it before – it is 144 feet high!  It has some tired interpretation that needs a good clean but surely this monument to the county born Nelson should at least be signposted from the sea front as something to go and see. 

South again into the gloom and a brief stop at the Links Road car park garnered me the desired Med Gull with a fine adult with the Black-heads and Herring Gulls hunkering down and facing into the car shaking wind.  The storm hit properly about an hour later.  

The Brecks - 14th January 2025

I had a talk to do for Stort Valley RSPB group on Tuesday so I hatched a plan to head down to Abberton for the day where the reservoir is practically overflowing with the water displaced by so many rare and scarce waterfowl, before cutting back across in the evening.

I headed south at 8am but the news of the A12 being closed southbound at Copdock caused me to re-think and divert for a short while to Westleton to have a walk and wait to see if it cleared – Plan B.

A Police car blocked the road in front of me and a car was parked on the wrong side of the Westleton road with what looked like a covered body laid out in front of it - not good. I was directed left towards Dunwich and bumped my way around the block before continuing to my favoured Track 42.  I pulled in and that was that.  Logging work and big lorries precluded any further advance down the track so I sat there in a huff and checked the map once again.

The overturned lorry had clearly not been moved and the traffic was backed up all the way over the Orwell on the A14 and then back up the A12!  Plan C – could I get around Ipswich and then loop back down to Colchester? – nope as there were prohibitive road closures in Needham Market and beyond and the A14 the other way was stuffed too…

Ok, Plan D, give up entirely and head completely cross country to the Brecks.  It was a pleasant route but there was very little to see in the fields with just the odd Buzzard and Red Kite and not one Lapwing of winter thrush flock.  I stopped at Laxfield and Stradbroke and checked the churches for Luffia lapidella finding a couple of each churchyard but nothing else.

Laxfield

Stradbroke

I loved that the moss had embraced John

By the time I wiggled through Diss and then Thetford it was getting cooler and grey but I still pushed on to Santon Downham.  I had a pleasant walk down to the river and along the bank but it was almost devoid of life.  Now it might sound like I am just having a moan as my day was going poorly but I am not; it was simply very quiet, a horrible phrase often used when in fact there is lots to see but on this occasion it was depressingly so.

Some Siskins were in the Alders but I did not see or hear one other finch, four Mallard and two Little Grebes were the only birds on the river,  there were no Tit flocks and I did not even hear the expected Marsh Tits.  A Water Rail called in the ditch alongside but it was like someone had dropped a smothering blanket over the landscape with only the roar of F35s coming into land being heard.

I ambled back to the car and made my way up to Lynford Arboretum which was very busy for a Tuesday lunchtime with a zillion dogwalkers and small people.  I had only heard of one Hawfinch this winter so it was pleasing to find three females and two gleaming males feeding in the ‘tunnel’ along with a good flock of Chaffinch and four Brambling.  There were, however, no Yellowhammers at all.

Hawfinch

I walked down to towards the bridge but there was tree work going on so I turned round and came back through the trees where the first Snowdrops were just opening up.  There were Goldcrests, Nuthatches and Treecreepers and back near the car I heard two ‘peeping’ Firecrest in the firs and hollies.  

Time for lunch and then a wiggle down to Lackford Lakes. Pete G and I used to visit here over 30 years ago when it was just a sailing club with some extra pits which the local bird ringers used to set their nets up around.  I am not sure how Pete got to know the guys there but we were always welcomed into their little ringing hut and watched them process many Redpolls, Siskins and Tits and taken on walks round to see Smew and Goosander on hidden ponds – happy days.

I followed the same trail today although it is somewhat more formalised by the SWT.  The main lake was still frozen in part but held no Goldeneye and only a handful of Pochard and Tufted Ducks, a mob of Coot and a big flock of Black-headed Gulls.  A Great White Egret flew in and a Little Egret was on the scrape but the freeze had moved all of the Snipe on.  There were Teal, Shoveler, Gadwall, Wigeon and two Shelduck keeping the water open and a mixed flock of Lesser Redpolls, Siskins and Goldfinches were in the Alders and I spent some time checking through the former for any whiter ones.

Great White Egret

Little Egret

Three Muntjac were seen and one was especially obliging as it clambered up a log to get to seed put out for the birds.  It was only 2.30 but the light was already fading and it was getting cold so I headed back for a coffee before continuing to Bishops Stortford for the talk before the light faded too much and the rush hour began.

Muntjac

The talk went well but the drive back home was unfortunately as horrific as the one back from Yorkshire. The dark roads were invisible and there were frequent light cleaning stops. My poor car had reverted to the burnt jacket potato look…