RSPB Blacktoft Sands

 

After Storm Bert I was not expecting to see sunshine and rainbows when I arrived at Blacktoft Sands.

The lagoons were still full after the recent floods and high tides and the surface water on the lagoons had been frozen. The waterfowl had flown elsewhere and were slowly coming back to the reserve to feed.

Ian arrived in reception so I took the opportunity to walk down to Singleton lagoon to have a look at the work that the team had been doing.

They have cleared away some off the trees and bushes to the right of the hide and built a screen to the left of the hide, so that visitors do not disturb the birds on the water.

They have made the channels in the reed bed wider and deeper and removed an island to the right of the hide.

From the hide I could see a family of mute swans, I wonder how long before the 3 young are chased away by the adults. 30 gadwall were feeding together, and a male bearded tit was in the reed bed to my right. On a clump of floating vegetation a pair of stonechats chased away some pied wagtails.

I returned to reception and Jan, Darren's wife had arrived, so again I took the chance to go to the other hides. Nothing to report from either Marshland or Reedling, so I walked down to Ousefleet. Ian was sat in the hide and we chatted as I added shelduck, teal and shoveler to my day list. A single snipe was resting near the waters edge.

I left the hide and walked to the 5 barred gate and as I looked over the grazing marsh I could see 34 curlew. Suzanne arrived and we chatted for a while about Bluesy, which we have both recently joined. we saw 3 redshank on the grazing marsh and then noticed that the curlews had flown from a field to the left of the floodbank. A fox soon followed, which disturbed the birds again, The fox made its way into the reedbed and the 6 Konic ponies emerged, to graze further up the marsh.

Suzanne went to Ousefleet hide and I returned to reception where Jean and Andrew were having a hot drink.

After reception closed at 4 pm, I walked down to Ousefleet. Ian and two other birders were on their way back to the car park. They had seen 9 marsh harriers in the sky at the same time.

It was now raining and visibility was poor. I managed to see 7 marsh harriers in the sky at the same time.

I hope that the weather improves this week and that we do not get floods after the snow melts.