A stonking morning up on the tops with the below freezing temperature keeping the fog and mist confined to he valleys. Full, blue clear skies and sunshine on a cool SE>2 at minus one degree but feeling warmer in the sun.
First bird as I drove down the track was a male Stonechat on the fence and as I got to the water a pair of Mallard had a smaller duck with them. Thinking Teal I jumped out of the car just in time to get some quick shots of a female Goldeneye which flew onto the water at the north end but disappeared shortly afterwards. A very rare visitor to this site and todays bird being only my 6th sighting here with 1 male in 2016, 3 females in 2017 and a female last year, all March, October and November sightings.
The water and banking was alive with Canada geese plus a few Greylags including the white job, along with a group of Lapwing on the east bank.
The pair of Ringed Plover were present but no sign of the first year bird, whilst Curlew and Oystercatcher were very vocal. Just 2 Pied Wagtails and 2 Reed Bunting, small passerine wise and raptors included Kestrel, Peregrine and Buzzard.
Only 2 Herring gull >SW and 4 Black Headed > NE.
A single Skylark was in the Nolstar field but still awaiting the arrival of Meadow Pipits which are due anytime now and will no doubt arrive in their normal spring type fashion with none one day and alive with them the next. Unlike the autumn, when birds are seen in massive flocks leaving, the returning birds follow the rivers inland and are rarely seen until they arrive on site.
Unusual to see 17 Magpies in a single tree in Foxhill park p.m. before moving off >W.
A similar forecast tomorrow and still the light south easterly but temperature up to 3 degrees early morn which may just let the fog get up into my area.
Fly Flatts
1 f Goldeneye
23 Mallard
c 200 Canada geese
12 Greylag geese
28 Lapwing
1pr Ringed Plover
7 Oystercatcher
5 Curlew
1 Buzzard
1 Peregrine
1 Kestrel
2 Reed Bunting
1pr Pied Wagtail
1m Stonechat
2 Herring gull > SW
4 BH Gull >NE
1 Skylark
2 Red Grouse
+ usual sp.
BS