Saturday 23rd February

A mild cloudy morning and another early start. While heading for Kramer hide I flushed a couple of male Shoveler and a pair of Teal from the lake by the Sedgewick seat. At Kramer it was initially quiet with just a Moorhen and a pair of Mallard. The quiet was shattered by 11 Canada Geese which decided to use the lake in front of the hide as a battle ground. A group of 3 were set upon by a pair and group of 6. Things settled down again with the group of 6 hanging around and feeding for a while the pair and the 3 departed to other parts of Fingers.

A Green Woodpecker called regularly from over towards the Sedgewick seat and the usual Song Thrush was singing strongly from the conservation zone to the right of the hide. Other Moorhen showed themselves during the morning, totalling about 4 in all. The Little Egrets were not about this morning but white feathers below the normal roost area showed they had most likely been on roost last night. A Kingfisher flashed past the hide and then returned later, sitting in the tree to the left of the hide for a while. Two Shelduck flew over heading south.

A Little Grebe came in from the left corner and was starting to show it's breeding plumage. A young Heron flew in to the usual roost tree but was surprised by a Muntjac, which was equally startled by the Heron. The Heron flew on but returned a little later and was joined by a second adult bird. Three male Shoveler flew in to west Fingers. A Shoveler swam in from west Fingers and started feeding over the back of the reed beds. The Shoveler's hasty departure, followed by that of the Little Grebe, heralded the arrival of an Otter which grubbed around in the big reed bed for a while before doing a disappearing act.

Having left the hide I walked, downstream, alongside the navigation channel and back along the Long Hedge. There were 21 Canada Geese on Kingsmead along with 8 Moorhen and a Pheasant. A Green Woodpecker called from the far side of Kingsmead. Two Kingfishers called noisily as they chased, at tree top height, along the Long Hedge. There were a pair of Bullfinch feeding up by the kissing gate and a Chiffchaff was singing in the same area or possibly across the access road by the Cut.

Heading back past the Sedgewick seat a Water Rail flew from the reed bed, across the water to the far bank. From the Dead Seat there was Coot on West Fingers. At least 4 Bullfinch (2m2f) were in the trees at the edge of the Rough.

At the end of the Spit there was a Treecreeper in the fenced off section, it flew back along the Spit. There were 2 Little Grebe on west Fingers, 5 Shoveller and a Great Crested Grebe. The pair of Great Crested Grebe were on east Fingers along with the resident pair of Mute Swans. Back along the Spit by the main path 7 Siskins flew over but didn't hang around. A Water Rail squealed in the Crescent reed bed.

From the main lake hide there were c.27 Mute Swans. Obviously used to being fed by the Rangers they were following the pickup truck around the lake but flew back to the hide when the truck departed.

Most of the 50+ Pochard were also following the "food wagon" and followed the Swans back to the hide.

Also on the main lake were 3 Shoveler (1f), 5 Great Crested Grebe, 14 Cormorant and a red head Goosander. Great Spotted Woodpeckers called from the beach end and south west corner of the main lake. Back at the car park a Pied Wagtail flew over.