Warm welcome at Blacktoft

 My first day on duty on the reserve this year, and it was a cold but sunny start.

Daz and I soon got the fire going

and scraped the ice off the windows and made some hot drinks for the first visitors.

The lagoons are frozen over, apart from a small piece of open water in front of Reedling the new hide.

A pair of mute swans were occupying this bit of water and between them and the marsh harriers any ducks that landed were soon seen off.

The marsh harriers were very active all day long, and they "wowed" a lot of the visitors.

Goldfinches were eating seeds just outside reception

A barn owl was seen hunting about 3pm. and landed on a post near reception.

A pleasant way to end the day.