News

Monday 24th January 2022

All the ice on the lakes had melted by early morning,
9 Little egrets roosted on the Main lake,
There was 50+ Curlews in the North field, with a Black-tailed godwit on the Village lake & Ruffs on Cell 'A')
Also seen was a Treecreeper on the West path, Stonechat, 60+ Siskins & Tawny owl

Redwing by the reserve entrance
Posted By: Barry on 1/24/2022 9:27:51 PM

Sunday 23rd January 2022

The Bittern was again heard booming in the early morning from the Village lake,
The first Grey wagtail of the year was seen over the reserve,
Also seen was 42 Curlew, Bearded tit (heard in Cell 'C'), 2 each of Black-tailed godwit & Ruff (both Cell 'C'), 179 Gadwall, 4 Little egrets roosting, Little & Tawny owls, 2 Marsh harriers, 100 Tufted ducks & Treecreeper

Tree sparrow by the Maize field feeders
Posted By: Barry on 1/23/2022 5:39:12 PM

Saturday 22nd January 2022

The Bittern was heard booming from the Village lake,
There were over 60 Siskins on the reserve today (both on the East & West paths),r redpoll on the West path,
Also seen was Marsh harrier, Peregrine, Little & Tawny owls, a pair of Stonechat (Cell 'B'), 3 Ruffs & 2 Black-tailed godwits on Cell 'A', Fieldfares with 10 in the New workings & another 5 in the North hedge, plus 6 Yellowhammers in the North hedge

Kestrel by the Turret hide path
Posted By: Barry on 1/22/2022 5:23:55 PM

21st January 2022

5 Curlews (Island lake), 7 Little egrets (Main lake) & 12 Cormorants (Far lake) all roosted on the reserve,
A Corn bunting was in the North hedge, along with Yellowhammers & Reed buntings,
A drake Mandarin was on the Village lake, with about 400 Pink-footed geese north west
Also seen was 30+ Siskin (Far lake), 3 Greenfinches (Maize field feeders), a Fieldfare (North hedge), male Stonechat (Cell 'B'), Treecreeper (West path), 2 Little & Tawny owl, with 2 Ruff, 2 Black-tailed godwits & Snipe on Cell 'A'

Song thrush, by Dryham farm
Posted By: Barry on 1/21/2022 6:26:57 PM

Thursday 20th January 2022

3 Curlews roosted today, with 15 later seen heading to the North field,
There was a brief pair of Goosanders on the Village lake in the morning
Also seen was Ruff & 2 Black-tailed godwits (both Cell 'A'), 30+ Siskins (Far lake), Peregrine south west (Silt pond), Barn owl (New workings in the evening), 10+ Yellowhammers (North hedge), Little owl, 2 Marsh harriers & 10+ Greenfinches (Maize field feeders)

Female Pochard on Cell 'A'
Posted By: Barry on 1/20/2022 4:45:10 PM

Wednesday 19th January 2022

The Bittern was seen on the Village lake in the morning,
At least 2 Red kites were seen along the East ridge,
5 Curlews roosted, with at least 10 in the North field,
2 each of Black-tailed godwit & Ruff were on Cell 'A',
Also seen was 4+ Greenfinch (Maize field feeders), Little owl, Marsh harrier, Stonechat (pair in New workings) & Treecreeper

Shelduck landing on the Main lake
Posted By: Barry on 1/19/2022 5:26:47 PM

Tuesday 18th January 2022

Most of the lakes are now iced up, with open water only on the Village lake, Cell 'A' & New workings,
The Bittern was seen very early in the morning on Village lake. It was on the ice, by the reed-beds below the Turret hide,
A drake Pintail was in the New workings, as well a Peregrine & pair of Stonechats,
Also seen was 2 each of Black-tailed godwit , 15 Snipe & Ruff (Cell 'A'), female Goosander south, 23 Curlews in the North field, several Bearded tits & a pair of Stonechats were in Cell 'C', 60 Shelducks (New workings), Tawny owl,  Treecreeper (West path),. 6+ Yellowhammer (North hedge), Coal tit (East path) & 6 Greenfinches (4 males & 2 females) on the Maize field feeders

Female Greenfinches on the Maize field feeders
Posted By: Barry on 1/18/2022 4:31:26 PM

Monday 17th January 2022

On Cell 'A', there was the 2 Black-tailed godwits & 2 Ruffs, with a pair of Stonechats nearby in Cell 'B',
9 Little egrets roosted in the Main lake trees,
Also seen was 2 Marsh harriers (New workings), 4+ Greenfinches (Maize field feeders), 10+ Redwings (East path), Siskin (East & West paths), 15+ Yellowhammers (North hedge), Snipe (Cell 'A' & North field) & Tawny owl

Yellowhammer in the North hedge
Posted By: Barry on 1/17/2022 7:37:22 PM

January 2022

Saturday 1st January 2022
Just 8 Curlew roosted on the Island lake, with 2 Black-tailed godwits (Cell 'A'), Green sandpiper (New workings), 60+ Redshanks & 3 mobile Ruffs,
11 Grey partridges were seen in the New workings,
Also seen was 14 Cormorants (Main lake), 200+ Fieldfare around the reserve, 75 Golden plover south, 2 Great crested grebes (Silt pond), 8 roosting Little egrets, Woodcock, Dunlin, 2+ Marsh harrier, Mistle thrush (New workings), Peregrine, 200 Pink-footed geese north west, 2 male Stonechats & Tawny owl
Sunday 2nd January 2022
The Bittern was seen from early morning on the Village lake, opposite the East hide,
12 Grey partridges were in the New workings,
A female Goosander was on Cell 'A' in the early morning, along with 2 Ruffs & 2 Black-tailed godwits (also seen on the Village lake),
Also seen was Coal tit (Maize field feeders), Lesser redpoll & 3 Yellowhammers (North hedge), 2 Great crested grebes (Silt pond), 23 Curlews (Island lake in the early morning), Little & Tawny owls, Peregrine (New workings) & 2 Stonechats (Cells 'B' & 'C' fences)
Monday 3rd January 2022
The Bittern was again on the Village lake opposite the East hide in the morning,
A Whooper swan was feeding with the Mute swans on Hotham Carrs,
Bearded tits were heard in Cell 'C',
Also seen was Ruff (Cell 'A'), Dunlin, 30+ Fieldfares south, 15 Curlews roosted as well as 15 Little egrets (Main lake), Marsh harrier, Water rail & 5+ Greenfinches (Maize field feeders)
Tuesday 4th January 2022
The Bittern was seen in the Village lake reeds,
35 Curlew roosted on the Reed-bed,
6 Whooper swans were feeding with the Mute swans on Hotham Carrs,
Also seen was Black-tailed godwit (Cell 'A'), Little & Tawny owls
Wednesday 5th January 2022
There were 32 Curlews at the Reed-bed roost, with 5 Little egrets roosting on the Far lake,
A male Stonechat was seen about the Village lake,
Also seen was 3 Siskins (Far lake), 2 Ruffs (Cell 'A'), 30 Fieldfares (New workings) & Tawny owl
Thursday 6th January 2022
An icy morning, meant that the Island lake & Reed-bed were frozen over,
32 Curlews roosted on the Reed-bed, with 20 returning during the day,
A drake & 2 female Pintails were on the Main lake during the day,
Also seen was 2 Goldcrests (West path), 30 Golden plovers south, 10+ Bullfinch, Lesser redpoll, Marsh harrier, Treecreeper (West path), male Yellowhammer, Tawny owl & Fieldfare (North hedge)
Friday 7th January 2022
34 Curlew roosted on the Island lake today,
Also seen was Black-tailed godwit & Ruff (both Cell 'A'), Peregrine, Green sandpiper & 2 Stonechats (all New workings), Marsh harrier, barn owl, 16+ Pink-footed geese north east, Little & tawny owls, 2 Coal tits & 2 Greenfinches (both Maize field feeders)
Saturday 8th January 2022
19 Curlew roosted on the Island lake, with 7 Little egrets roosting by the Main lake,
The drake Mandarin was on the Village lake in the afternoon,
On Cell 'A', there was 2 each of Black-tailed godwit & Ruff,
Also seen was 2 Little owls, 300+ Linnets (New workings), Peregrine (Crosslands lake), 500+ Starlings in Cell 'A', Golden plover south & at least 11 Bullfinches
Sunday 9th January 2022
The Bittern was seen in the Village lake reeds from the Turret hide,
About 500 Starlings roosted in the reeds in Cell 'a', below Crosslands hide,
2 Ruffs & a Black-tailed godwit were on the Village lake & Cell 'A',
Also seen was Peregrine, Marsh harrier, Tawny owl, 11 Curlews (Island lake) & also 40+ flew over, Mistle thrush, Treecreeper, 3 Yellowhammers (North hedge) & 3 Stonechats (Cell 'A' fence)
Monday 10th January 2022
A drake Pintail was on the Main lake,
12 Curlews roosted (Island lake & Reed-bed), with 11 roosting Little egrets on the Main lake,
Also seen was Ruff (Cell 'A'), Tawny owl, 29 Pochard (15 males & 14 females), Mistle thrush (New workings) & 4 Greenfinches (2 males & 2 females)
Tuesday 11th January 2022
A pair of Pintail were on the Main lake,
Black-tailed godwit & Ruff were on Cell 'A', with Green sandpiper in the New workings,
The Bittern was in the Village lake reeds, viewed from the Turret hide,
Also seen was a pair of Stonechats (New workings), male Siskin & 2 Greenfinches (Maize field feeders), Marsh harrier north east, 15+ Herring gulls north, 200+ Linnets (New workings), 2 Little & a Tawny owl, plus Kingfisher  (Crosslands lake)
Wednesday 12th January 2022
No Curlews roosted on the reserve, but 26 flew in early morning,
Also seen was Peregrine (New workings), pair of Greenfinches (Maize field feeders), 1o Fieldfare north, 3 Little egrets roosting, 200+ Linnet (New workings), 2 Ruff (Cell 'A'), 2 pairs of Stonechats (Cell 'B' & the New workings), Little & Tawny owls
Thursday 13th January 2022
The Bittern showed itself in the Village lake reeds, just to the north of the Turret hide,
There were 24 Curlews roosting (22on the Island lake & 2 on the Reed-bed), later on 37 were on the Island lake,
Also seen was a Ruff (Cell 'A'), Kingfisher, a pair of Stonechats (both Cell 'B') & Tawny owl
Friday 14th January 2022
An icy morning, meant that the Island, Far lakes & Reed-bed were frozen, with all other lakes having a degree of ice cover,
The Bittern showed well on the Village lake ice,
9 Curlews roosted on the Reed-bed (28 were later over the Island lake), with 9 Little egrets roosting on the Main lake,
Also seen was a pair of Stonechats & 4 Grey partridges (both New workings)m Bearded tit (several heard in Cell 'C'), 10+ Fieldfare over the reserve, 20+ Siskins (Far lake), 2 Greenfinch (Maize field feeders), a pair of Stonechats in Cell 'C', Ruff (Cell 'A)', Tawny owl & 4 Yellowhammers (North hedge)
Saturday 15th January 2022
It was misty & cold today, with the only open water being the Carp, Village & Main lakes, plus Cell 'A' & the Silt pond,
25 Curlews were on the Island lake in the evening,
A male Brambling was seen from the Viewing platform,
Also seen was Golden plover (overhead), at least 10 Siskins (Carp lake), Stonechat (on the fence between Cells 'B' & 'C'), 2 Ruffs, Little & Tawny owls, 4 Greenfinches (Maize filed feeders), 2 Yellowhammers (North hedge), & about 18+ Fieldfares about the reserve
Sunday 16th January 2022
2 Ruff & 2 Black-tailed godwits were on Cell 'A',
10 Curlews roosted on the Island lake & Reed-bed, with only 3 Little egrets roosting on the Main lake,
Also seen was a pair of Stonechats (New workings) & male on Cell 'B', 3 Yellowhammers (North hedge), Little & Tawny owls, Lesser redpoll (East path), Kingfisher (New workings), 2 Marsh harriers, Brambling, 2 Coal tits & Greenfinch (Maize field feeders)
Monday 17th January 2022
On Cell 'A', there was the 2 Black-tailed godwits & 2 Ruffs, with a pair of Stonechats nearby in Cell 'B',
9 Little egrets roosted in the Main lake trees,
Also seen was 2 Marsh harriers (New workings), 4+ Greenfinches (Maize field feeders), 10+ Redwings (East path), Siskin (East & West paths), 15+ Yellowhammers (North hedge), Snipe (Cell 'A' & North field) & Tawny olw
Posted By: Barry on 1/8/2022 5:40:43 PM