And the madness finally pays off...

Another cold morning and after a bright start the cloud came in and down came the snow again. From the car park I headed down the main path towards Fingers. There were a large number of Blackbirds feeding on the meadow, around the Labyrinth, with about 7 Redwing mixed in.

Redwing

At Kramer hide it was very quiet although plenty of Chiffchaff activity with the usual bird singing over at the Long Hedge and at least one bird moving around the hide and across to the trees on the reed bed in front of the hide. DK dropped by and reported 42 Sand Martin roosting in the reeds on west Fingers. Shortly after a few were seen in front of the hide including one with no tail. Not sure what they were finding to eat but they seemed to be catching something very low over the water. Given the low temperature I doubt there were many flies about. As the snow started falling a Muntjac came into view on the right side and took a drink. It hung around for a while eating the leaves from the lower branches of the trees along the spit opposite the hide. At least 3 Little Grebe were present along with 3 Canada Geese, a Greylag Goose, a couple of male Mallards and 2 Heron.

I left the hide and decided to head back around to the Spit to see if the Sand Martins were still in the reeds. This proved to be a good move because as I reached east Fingers I noticed a movement out of the corner of my eye. I turned expecting to see a Little Grebe and was delighted to see an Otter swimming across to the scrub at the north end of the lake, just it's head above the water.

Otter

After the Otter disappeared a couple of Little Grebe appeared and moved through the reedbed to Kramer. Also on east Fingers was a male Tufted Duck and a Great Crested Grebe. A number of Sand Martins were flying about over the lake. Round at the Spit half a dozen Greenfinch were in the trees near the main path. A scan of the reeds in west Fingers didn't reveal any Sand Martins although a male and two female Reed Buntings were present. It seemed like all the Sand Martins had taken to the air, flying about over both west and east Fingers. Also on west Fingers was another Great Crested Grebe, 5 Teal (2 Pair), a single male Shoveler and several pairs of Canada Geese.

Continuing round Fingers I went down the steps where a Chiffchaff was singing. I noticed another Chiff low down by the water and possibly a third further along the path by the Dead Seat. By the time I reached the Dead Seat the 2 Great Crested Grebe were together and displaying. The feeders in the rough were quite busy with Great and Blue tits.

I continued round to the Sedgewick Seat where the usual Chiff was singing strongly. There was little else of note as I carried on round passed the Sheep Pen. I reached the back entrance to Fingers and a couple of male Bullfinch flew across to the plantation opposite, joining a female.

On the way back across the meadows I came across this Blackbird bathing. Rather him than me, brrrrrrr!

Am I completely mad?

...may be so! Arrived at the park just before 06:30 and the rain was just starting so I headed straight for Kramer hide. I was surprised, given the cold, wind and rain, that the Sedgewick Seat Chiff was on territory singing strongly. I flushed a pair of Teal as I walked through that section of Fingers. At the hide I could still hear the SS Chiff which was quite mobile during my stay. A pair of Gadwall were in front of the hide and a pair of Little Grebe came out of the main reed bed. Look like a different pair, compared to those seen the last few weeks, as the colouration of one was a lot paler than the other and neither birds plumage looked as bright as the other pair. A Green Woodpecker passed through from right to left and a male Shoveler was seen through the gap to west Fingers. A young Heron came in to the usual roost tree. Mallard and Moorhen were also present. A Chiffchaff started singing directly behind the hide and at first I thought it was the SS bird but then later both were heard singing at the same time. I watched from the hide door and located the singing Chiff which was accompanied by another. I left the hide when the snow started blowing through the front!

The water level has dropped further in Fingers but is still draining out through the pipe. As I walked down the Spit a Chiff flew, over my head, back towards the main path, stopping in a tree on the west side. Another was singing strongly over by the Rough. On west Fingers a Little Grebe, pair of Teal and three pairs of Canada Geese while on east Fingers a couple of male Mallards, a Cormorant and a male Tufted Duck were all present. Heading back along the Spit a Water Rail flew, from one of the fishing swims, along in front of me before disappearing into the crescent. A Chiff was heard singing in the trees around the Crescent (maybe the one seen earlier).

Back on the main path, heading back to the car, the wind was really blowing making it feel even colder than it actually was. A single Sand Martin was seen over the main lake, bet he wishes he'd stayed in Africa! c.11 Redwing were feeding on the meadow between the main path and the hedge by the Labyrinth accompanied by a number of Blackbirds.

There aren't many times when I am glad to be back at the car but with frozen fingers this was one of those times.

Good any day

Feeders busy. Nice and sunny but blowing a raw gale.
Fingers - 1 m Teal, 1 m Tufted, 3 L.Grebe, 1 pr Gadwall, 1 pr Swans, 3 prs Canada + 7 non prs. Quite a lot of Moorhens busying themselves now they've lost their 'markers'. Min. of 12 Smarties roaming back and forth over KM/FL/ML. Kestrel looking more like a Cuckoo in the wind. Possible Blackcap in the brambles on the spit. 5 singing Chiffs in conservation zone & some lady Chiffs. Bread lady feeding the Robins. Lots of Goldies low in the trees/bushes on the north side of 'lilypads' (a good dozen). Crescent flooded and now occupied by Mallards. No Reebu seen/heard.
Fingers now down c.3 inches with another 4 inches to be let off before the pipe runs dry. Then it's down to the sunshine/water table.