This afternoon in the welcome sunlight particularly good views of a Bittern were obtained as it flew to and fro across the Deep Pit and then walked out in the open at the edge of the reeds on the south side. A Little Egret was then spotted on the side of the track beyond the Fat Hen Field and when disturbed it flew just on to the site at the eastern corner. AE & RW.
Also seen was an over-wintering Chiffchaff along the Ouse Dyke. JMD.
Two Bitterns were found today in the Deep Pit, one giving prolonged views as it crouched within a reedbed, and a Cetti’s Warbler was seen flying from the Deep Pit towards the Haven. The triangular field at the Deep Pit’s northern end which is full of seeding Fat Hen has a flock of approx. 20 Reed Buntings and contains some Tree Sparrows. PS.
The Bittern was seen in the Deep Pit again this afternoon and flew to the same reed bed to roost. A Snipe was also seen and a Chiffchaff. RW.
The Deep Pit was the most productive area at the lagoons this afternoon, with a second winter Iceland Gull staying for about an hour amongst the other Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls. A Bittern was also showing well for most of the afternoon, on and off, and was eventually seen going to roost in a reed bed. Several Water Rail were seen running across the ice and as dusk approached several more were heard calling. A Cetti’s Warbler was heard briefly singing and later another was calling. A good selection of ducks was present, with large numbers of Teal. RW.
During this morning’s Bird Count a male Goosander flew over the Large Gravel Pit and approximately fifty Pink-footed Geese flew west. There were good numbers of Redwings and Blackbirds and a Buzzard circled quite low over the Slurry Lagoon. The Cetti’s Warblers were heard in the Slurry Lagoon reed bed and the Deep pit and around eight Water Rail were also heard. The large Gravel Pit also had four Golden-eye on it and thirty-six Wigeon. PS
About 70 Wigeon flew NE over the reserve this evening. As dusk approached Redwings came into the Deep Pit scrub to roost. Up to seven Water Rail were calling and three Cetti’s Warblers. As it got darker a Tawny Owl hooted. PS.
This morning the Tawny Owl on the bank of the Deep Pit was showing very clearly owing to the loss of leaves from the tree. Meanwhile two Cetti’s Warblers were singing on either side of the Causeway and four small Brown Rats were feeding on the table near the railway,while being serenaded by a Song Thrush. AE.
A Little Egret was seen this morning in the large willow tree beside the Large Gravel Pit. It later flew to the dead ash trees beside the Slurry Lagoon but was chased back to its previous perch by a Carrion Crow. A Tawny Owl was found at its roost in the Deep Pit by several Blackbirds, there were also two Cetti’s Warblers singing nearby. In the reed bed on the Slurry Lagoon three Water Rail were heard calling and two Snipe were also seen here along with good numbers of Teal and Shoveler. A Peregrine was hunting over nearby fields, putting up clouds of pigeons, gulls, Lapwings and corvids. PS.
On the causeway this morning a Bittern flew overhead from the Deep Pit and landed in the reed bed near the eastern corner of the Slurry Lagoon. AE.
This morning a male and female Stonechat were on the outside of the Deep Pit bank, at its north eastern corner. Inside the Deep Pit bank two Cetti’s Warblers were showing well together. On the Slurry Lagoon was a Dunlin and a Snipe and several Water Rail were calling. Two Redwing, six Siskin and a Redpoll flew over and about sixty Golden Plovers came in to rest on the Slurry Lagoon. The Willow Tit was showing well on the Lower Path. PS.
At the other end of the day the Starling roost is building up to quite a spectacle with thousands of birds flying in to roost in the Slurry reed beds. This evening so much activity attracted a Sparrowhawk who after one or two unsuccessful passes over the reeds sat in a bush and watched as the Starlings, aware of her presence, flew straight into the reeds. JMD.