Birding in a winter wonderland

It was stunning out today - snow and a cloudless blue sky, but at one point the first egg our chickens had laid since November was looking like the most exciting ornithological event of the day; Girton Pits were almost totally frozen, with just small open patches on each of the pits hosting generally small numbers of wildlfowl, including 26 Goldeneye on the Sailing Lake. Single Redshank and Snipe were on the Trent, and two female Bullfinches were feeding on Weld (Reseda) seed heads on Trent Lane.

Ducks concentrated on the Sailing Lake at Girton

Collingham Pits was completely frozen, and almost totally birdless except for 5 Bullfinches along Carlton Ferry Lane, and continuing on to Mons Pool, it was almost the same story - totally frozen and this time 3 Bullfinches, but I did startle a Water Rail out of the marginal vegetation, which then made a comedy landing on the ice a short distance away. Then the day was saved with a check of the Trent from the conveyor outfall - a single drake Goosander on the river itself (always a nice bird to see), and 4 adult Whooper Swans on the opposite side of the river, looking towards Cromwell.

An icy Mons Pool

I finished the day with a quick visit to Langford Lowfields. The Little Owl was in its usual spot in the big willows off Cottage Lane, and the two southern silt lagoons were ice-free, but there was no sign of the Smew that has been seen here. Then it was home for the rugby.


A grumpy Little Owl at Langford Lowfields