Bleak

In the bleak midwinter......no frost though....

0930 - 1200 approx. Cold, misty

Well at least the water is receding from the footpaths around the pits....so now its just muddy...!

A mist made it interesting birding, viewing wasn't too bad by the time I got to the pits themselves bu across the fields it was...er….interesting....

The Great White Egret was in one of the ditches when I happened upon it, so a close up was assured even though it was over very quickly as it flew off West and landed a little way off....I located it again ten minutes later at distance.....

Great White Egret

A few Skylarks were around the fields but no sign of Meadow Pipits today.....

At West Pit there were 2 female Goldeneye.....a Water Rail was heard located somewhere around the weedy pit next to West Pit....their usual haunt is currently flooded....

To the east the geese had been disturbed and were very vocal, flying out and then returning....a few seconds later a Peregrine Falcon went by....

A Buzzard was out in the field but flew off to a tree....

Buzzard

Not too much to speak of on Middle Pit.....over on Island Pit the now 80 Greylag flock had been rejoined by the 13 feral Barnacle Geese with 2 Wigeon for company.....

Barnacles are back....

The Pochard still number around 20 or so.....Gadwall are increasing and there are now 25+.....still only a few Shoveler though.....2 Stock Doves flew by which is always nice and the Bullfinches were busy in the usual places.....

On the way back I found the Grey Wagtail in its current favourite ditch......

…...its only 11 or so weeks to Chiffchaff.....