☁️π14C
Friday 22nd February 2019 ~ A wonderful springlike day at Brandon Marsh after the mist cleared and despite being half term, when I rarely visit, it was quite bearable.
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| Song Thrush |
The first highlight of the day was a singing
Blackcap in Horsetail Glade, although it didn't last for too long, perhaps it suddenly remembered it was still only February. Two
Great Spotted Woodpeckers drumming and lots of
Great Tits singing too with
Nuthatch,
Treecreeper,
Mistle Thrush,
Song Thrush and
Blackbird also clearing their throats. I just hope that the winter doesn't have any surprises still up its sleeve like 2018, particularly for a couple of
Long-tailed Tits seen nest building today.
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| These two regular Whooper Swans have graced East Marsh Pool off and on for almost the entire winter thus far. |
Over 60+
Wigeon on East Marsh Pool when I arrived at the hide, four
Oystercatchers, eight
Pochard including six Drakes and four
Shelduck, two of which were on River Pool. The regular visiting
Whooper Swans also dropped in shortly after I arrived and a
Muntjac Deer on Wigeon Bank spent a little time feeding.
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| One of two Little Egrets today ~ This one on Teal Pool |
The Teal Hide had a
Little Egret which seemed to be foraging pretty well, catching the odd fish.
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| Small Tortoishell didn't offer the best photo opportunity |
As Alan Boddington and I passed by the Baldwin Hide on our way for a stroll around the Farm Pool Reedbed our first Brandon butterfly of 2019 when a
Small Tortoishell landed on the reeds in its attempt to soak up the sun.
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| Stonechat 'human watching' |
At Farm Pool, a
Stonechat flitting around the bramble and occasionally popping up on to the posts to check us out was nice and around the reedbeds,
Reed Buntings were also singing. Over towards Brandon Lane at least three
House Sparrows along the fence, quite a rarity for Brandon but now becoming more regular in this area.
