Saturday 9th February

Back from the cold of Norway to a beautiful early spring morning. A slight frost on the ground but clear sky and warming up quickly. I followed the main path, heading down to Kramer hide. 14 Greylag Geese flew in from the south and circled the main lake several times as they lost height, finally continued on their way north. Over Kingsmead a Crow was harrassing a Sparrowhawk which turned the tables and ended up chasing the Crow. At the hide not much about initially, at least one male Sparrowhawk in the trees across from the hide. One was mobbed by four Crows and two Magpies and flew off north.

The appearance of an Otter was signalled by a Moorhen flying up from the water to the top of a bush and a Little Grebe hurtling through from the channel to east Fingers. Shortly after the Otter appeared in the same channel and swam along behind the fallen tree towards the gap to west Fingers. It climbed over the base of the leaning tree, paused for a moment before dropping down the other side. It reappeared as it swam through the gap to west Fingers and dived before heading off to the right underwater.

The Moorhen and Little Grebe settled down after the Otter left and a Great Crested Grebe (winter plumage) came through from west Fingers and settled down for snooze. Three Gadwall (2f) and a pair of Shoveller were also seen. Three Heron came in to roost.

I left the hide and headed back towards the crescent in the hope that the Siskin would be in the Alders. There were a pair of Mute Swans on east Fingers. There was a dead Swan (juvenile) by the little wooden bridge into the Crescent, off the main path. Looked like a Fox had got it. The Siskin were AWOL but a male Bullfinch made up for that and it was joined by a female as it moved up towards the spit.

From the spit there five Shoveller on west Fingers and a Reed Bunting singing from the crescent reedbed. A pair of Great Crested Grebe (summer plumage) on west Fingers along with two Little Grebe and a Coot. A drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker over by the dead seat. Round by the steps there was a Kingfisher along the first finger.

As I headed around the conservation area I had reports of Jay on the area of the Sedgewick seat but I didn't catchup with it. There were 34 Canada Geese on Kingsmead with 4 Pheasants and 6 Moorhen.

Back at the main lake there were still good numbers of Pochard over the far side by the hide. There were at least 14 Cormorant and 28 Mute Swans.

It was 9 degrees centigrade by the time I left a rise of 7 degrees in about 2.5 hours. What a great morning, loads of singing birds including Song Thrush, Dunnock, Great Tit, Chaffinch and Wren.