Christmas Eve

A bit warmer this morning but the ice had not completely melted from yesterday. At least 23 Mute Swans on the main lake when I arrived. I headed to Kramer hide on the finger lakes to see if any Otters were about. Stopped to check out Kingsmead where there were 12 Moorhens. At the hide the pair of Sparrowhawks were about with the male coming in fast and possibly taking a small bird in the trees along the spit, opposite the hide. The female followed the male in but more slowly and she perched in a tree adjacent to last years nest site. She left shortly after but returned to a perch nearby a little later. A Kingfisher came to the tree to the left of the hide and sat for short while before leaving towards east fingers.

14 Herring Gulls over south.
c.50 Gulls over south mostly LBB but some Herring.
38 Greylag Geese over east

As I left the hide 13 Mute Swan over, following the river downstream. At the gate to the Rough I heard a Treecreeper calling and located it in the tree on the opposite side of the path. 3 more Mute Swans passed overhead in an easterly direction. Despite the ice releasing its grip west Fingers was still devoid of any life bar the odd Moorhen.

Back at the main path by the steps a quick scan of the main lake revealed that there were still 19 Mute Swans so the 13/3 may not have been from the main lake group as I had thought. 5 of the swans were first year birds. At the crescent a Kingfisher could be seen along the spit just past the last fishing swim on east fingers.

Back at the main lake heading down the path past the beach and the fishing swims there were a couple of male Bullfinches in the trees, a Great Spotted Woodpecker slightly further along and a Kingfisher crossed the path in front of me (right to left). Rounding the bend at the south east corner there was a pair of Bullfinch and a Kingfisher.

At the main lake hide:

Only 8 Mute Swans left.
68 Pochard (14f)
9 Tufted Ducks (1f)
4 Great Crested Grebe
6 Teal
c.50 Shoveller
c.70 Mallard around the hide.
25 Cormorant

Tufted Duck (m)

Pochard (m)

No sign of any Little Egrets today, just a Heron in the south west corner.

A/the Goosander was with another group of Mallards in the north west corner giving good close views. The Mallards numbered 33 but included the many hybrids that seem to like that corner of the lake.

Goosander