29th to 31st January 2020 – Records added
28th January 2020 – Records updated
27th January 2020 – Records updated
Please Note: Could people who are eating tangerines in Car Park Hide not throw the pealings out of the hide but take them home with them. Thank you.
Work Party Dates
8th February 2020 2 pm (Note: this date has been amended from 28th February 2020 that was printed in the latest newsletter)
7th March 2020 2 pm
31st January 2020
Overcast, light drizzle.
The Bittern flew across the Reedbed from right to left at 11:00 landing in the Reedbed and then promptly vanishing.
There were three Shelducks and three Oystercatchers this morning, spread across the pools along with a Kestrel, two Little Grebes and a Little Egret. There was just a single Snipe with that species either disappearing inside the thicker vegetation in the marsh or vanishing altogether. The presence of Sparrowhawks and Peregrines has done nothing for their visibility.
30th January 2020
Overcast, south-westerly wind.
Four Goosanders flew over this morning but didn’t land and a Peregrine was again hunting the pools. The adult Greater Black-backed Gull joined five Common Gulls and three Lesser Black-backs on Car Park Pool along with a Little Egret. Three Bullfinches and a Kestrel were present on the railway embankment.
29th January 2020
Mostly sunny, cold west south-westerly wind.
On the pool margins or car park pool itself, this morning, the adult Greater Black-backed Gull was joined by two Common Gulls, two Goosanders (a female and an immature male), a single Shelduck, one Little Egret and a pair of Oystercatchers.
Lapwing numbers reached a slightly more impressive 250 in the afternoon before they were scattered by a Sparrowhawk. Nuthatch and Treecreeper were in the back-gate copse and Jackdaws, in their preparatory flocking before roosting, reached 200 in Siden Hill Wood. The first Linnets for some time, a flock of 20, were perched in the Oak on the causeway in the late afternoon.
28th January 2020
Fine and sunny, cold south-westerly.
A quick walk along the Old Road this morning yielded 100 Wigeon and a few Teal and Mallard feeding on the flood plain; there were also a pair of Rooks amongst the Jackdaws, a Grey Wagtail at the old bale store, 20 Redwings and a Fieldfare by the Aeromodellers and a pair of Pied Wagtails at Patrick Farm.
Later in the day there were four Pied Wagtails, three Fieldfares, 15 Redwings, 108 Canadas, 14 Greylags and a Stock Dove on the flood plain, a Yellowhammer at the car park feeder and two Treecreepers along the central streamline.
Yellowhammer – car park 28th January 2020 – Photograph by Stef Fraczek
27th January 2020
Rain clearing early morning and by dawn it was sunny but cooler.
The Bittern showed well in the front of the reed mace to the right of the rear lifebuoy at 07:45, before slowly moving deeper into cover. At least 1200 Starlings left their roost with half from the right-hand (west) side of the Reedbed and half from the north causeway bay. There were a pair of Goosanders in front of Oak Hide with a Little Egret showing particularly well on the shoreline there. A pair of Oystercatchers were prospecting on the Car Park Pool islands and there was a Kestrel hunting across the Reserve.
Cetti’s Warbler – North Causeway Hide – 27 January 2020 – Photograph by Stef Fraczek
A colour ringed Lapwing that was seen in front of Oak Hide on the 20th of January, has, through research by Graham Rowling, turned to have been ringed as a chick at Pulborough Brook RSPB Reserve near Arundel, Sussex on the 22nd May 2018. Interestingly, it has not be seen since it was ringed. It has been of interest for some time to know where our Lapwings go and where the birds that winter with us come from and the assumption has rather been that the wintering birds at Marsh Lane were predominantly of eastern origin. It is therefore of surprise, to me at least, that this bird not only originated in England but has moved north.
There were four Pied Wagtails, three Fieldfares, 15 Redwing, 108 Canadas and 14 Greylags on the flood plain and a Stock Dove flew over there.
A pair of Treecreepers were together along the central streamline and a single male Yellowhammer with six Reed Buntings, four Chaffinches and female Great Spotted Woodpecker joined a few other birds at the car park feeders.
Muntjac – 27th January 2020 – Photograph by Stef Fraczek
26th January 2020
Bright sunny start, soon clouding over from the south-west and rain from 11:30.
Mistle Thrushes are often elusive except in the early months of the year and a pair that took territory most years, by the entrance gate cottages, have neglected that position now for at least the last three years. It was thus good to hear one singing by the main gate this morning.
Song Thrush along the Causeway – 26th January 2020 – Photograph by Paul Casey
The Bittern showed briefly at 11:30, by the left-hand lifebuoy and two Peregrines were sortieing out from Siden Hill Wood from time to time in the morning as well.
A Shelduck, 30 Shoveler, 23 Pochard, the adult Greater Black-backed Gull, 13 Common Gulls, two Goosanders, a Kestrel and two Green Woodpecker (the latter by Railway Hide), were all additions to the list during the morning.
In the afternoon 11 Pied Wagtails and two Meadow Pipits were on the flood plain near the cattle feeder, a Coal Tit visited the Oak Hide feeder, there was a Goldcrest on the Old Road and two Little Egrets on Railway Pool.
Meadow Pipit feeding in the mud to the left of Oak Hide – 26th January 2020 – photograph by Paul Casey
25th January 2020
Again overcast.
Today’s counts included: two Mute Swans, a Whooper Swan (which flew over Car Park Pool at 15:20), 350 Greylags, 148 Canadas, one Greylag Canada Cross, 295 Wigeon (a better count than for some time), 22 Shoveler, 26 Gadwall, a paltry 30 Teal, ten Mallard, 16 Pochard, 40 Tufteds, one Shelduck, 23 Cormorants, two Herons, the Bittern, three Little Grebes, 14 Moorhen, 74 Coot, 219 Lapwing, one Snipe, 88 Black-headed Gulls, four Common Gulls, five Herring Gulls, two Lesser Black-backed Gulls, two Collard Dove over Railway Pool and a Kestrel hunting over the crop field.
Coot – North Causeway Hide – 27th January 2020 – Photograph by Stef Fraczek
In the late afternoon, at least ten Goosanders were also counted on Car Park Pool and there was an Oystercatcher seen there as well.
24th January 2020
Overcast, occasional light drizzle.
Birds noted today were as follows: one Oystercatcher, two Shelducks, the adult Greater Black-backed Gull, two Yellowhammers (on the car park feeder), one Little Egret, a drake Goosander, three Bullfinches and four Pied Wagtails. Raptors included Kestrel and Buzzard.
23rd January 2020
Early on in misty conditions there was just a male Shelduck on Railway Pool and a Little Egret on Car Park Pool and at least four Redwings in the bushes by Oak Hide. Five singing Song Thrushes were well spread across the Reserve.
As the morning unfolded a pair of Pintail joined a pair of Goosanders and 180 Wigeon on Car Park Pool and there was a single Yellowhammer at the car park feeders.
22nd January 2020
The anticyclonic conditions at the moment are just bringing in low cloud.
The Bittern showed well at approximately 12:30 and there were five Snipe and a Jack Snipe on the shore in front of Car Park Hide.
Later in afternoon the adult Greater Black-backed Gull appeared again and joined four Common Gulls, two Shelducks and four redheaded Goosanders all on Car Park Pool. Buzzard, Kestrel, four Redwing, two Bullfinch, two Goldcrests and Green Woodpecker were also recorded.
21st January 2020
Cold and frosty start, sunny.
The Bittern showed well on and off today, with patience and persistence it can usually be found somewhere in the Reedbed, generally favouring the left-hand side.
Meanwhile on the Car Park Pool there was an Oystercatcher, a Shelduck, 16 Common Gulls, a female Goosander and 20 Snipe in the field to the right of the hide. A Song Thrush, two Mistle Thrushes and two Bullfinches were on the causeway, Buzzard and Sparrowhawk on the railway embankment, a Grey Wagtail and five Redwings on the mud by the Aeromodeller’s car park and finally a Kestrel hunting over the crop field and a Great Spotted Woodpecker on the car park feeder.
20th January 2020
Frosty start, sunny all day.
The Bittern showed well today on the right-hand side of the Reedbed. At 13:30 it was quite close to the causeway screen, enjoying the sun at the edge of the right-hand channel. It subsequently flew across the channel to the left and preened in the reeds before flying to the right-hand side. There was also a Cetti’s Warbler there.
Bittern – Photograph by Paul Casey
Bittern – Photograph by Stef Fraczek
On Car Park Pool there were 12 Common Gulls and the adult Greater Black-backed Gull together with a redheaded Goosander and one Shelduck.
A Grey Wagtail was by the bale store and muck heap on the Old Road and then later on the flood plain with two Pied Wagtails. A Kestrel was hunting over the Old Road and there was a male Bullfinch along the concrete road.
Two Nuthatches visited the Oak Hide feeder in the afternoon and at 17:00 a Barn Owl was seen quartering the Reedbed. At least 700 Starlings came in to roost.
19th January 2020
Another sharp frost, some mist, clearing to be sunny all day.
The Bittern was seen well on the ice to the left of the bull rushes on the Reedbed Pool at about 11:30 before it flew into the usual corner immediately to the left of the Reedbed Hide. The icy weather will not helps its stay on the Reedbed Pool!
Four Egyptian Geese were in front of Oak Hide before flying onto Car Park Pool, although they were not visible later in the day. There were two male Shelduck on Car Park Pool along with the regular adult Greater Black-backed Gull. Two Water Rails were heard, one in the marsh and one in the causeway bay and four Bullfinches again showed around the back-gate railway embankment area. The female Peregrine was reported briefly early in the morning, perched in the marsh and perhaps the reason why Snipe numbers appear to have become significantly lower over the last few days.
There were three Meadow Pipits in front of Car Park Hide, the Goldcrest reported from the Railway embankment and at least one Redwing from the back gate copse. The Starling murmuration reappeared again in the late afternoon with a minimum of 400 birds. Finally there were two Muntjac seen, one in the crop field and one by River Hide.
18th January 2020
Frosty, come mist but clearing to full sun.
The low duck numbers have probably not been helped by the regular attentions of a least one Peregrine and for example a female was seen at least twice today, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. A Buzzard and Kestrel were also seen.
A male and two female Goosanders in the morning were replaced by 12 birds in the afternoon.
Other counts today were as follows: – four Mute Swans, 186 Canadas, 280 Greylags, a Greylag Canada Cross, 174 Wigeon, 32 Teal, 21 Gadwall, 21 Shoveler, eight Mallard, ten Pochard, 26 Tufted Ducks, 27 Cormorants, four Herons, one Little Grebe, nine Moorhens, 81 Coot, 158 Lapwing, four Snipe, 140 Black-headed Gulls, eight Common Gulls, two Herring Gulls and three Lesser Black-backed Gulls.
A Cetti’s Warbler was seen and heard in the north causeway bay, there were three Meadow Pipits on the tip field, a Grey Wagtail on the flood plain and probably a second bird on the Railway Pool later in the day. A Fox was seen on a number of occasions around the Reserve and in the evening there was a murmuration of at least 400 Starlings which dropped into the Reedbed at 16:35.
17th January 2020
Overcast start with periodic rain on a westerly breeze and slowly clearing.
The Bittern showed well this morning at about 08:15 in a line between the South Causeway Hide and the far lifebuoy. It was feeding and flapping about at the front of the reedmace before walking purposefully to the left (east).
Bittern in the Reedbed (“back of the bins” photograph)
Photograph by Nick Barlow
Duck numbers seem to be particularly low today with no more that 80 Wigeon for example and also a single female Goosander. Other counts of ducks today were as follows: – 52 Wigeon, 39 Gadwall, 44 Teal, 28 Shoveler, 11 Pochard and 22 Tufted Ducks. There were exactly 100 Coots, 29 Cormorants and 118 Lapwings. An Oystercatcher was a welcome addition to the birds for the year.
A Little Egret flew north over Car Park Pool and a Water Rail showed well, out in the open, on the right-hand side of the marsh but there were only two Snipe present early on. Three Yellowhammers were in the crop field oaks and there was a Kestrel hunting around the margins of the Reedbed.
There were four Common Gulls, four Herring Gulls, three Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a flock of 10 Chaffinches along the streamline.
16th January 2020
Overcast with periodic rain on a blustery westerly wind.
The only records today in poor weather were a pair of Peregrines together over Siden Hill Wood, a juvenile male with an adult female showing well in a brief lull in the rain in good sunshine.
15th January 2020
Overcast start, clearing from the south-west.
A quick visit to Car Park Pool Hide revealed no birds on the islands at all. It was unclear whether there had been some disturbance or whether birds had moved down to the floods at Patrick Farm. There was a single Great Crested Grebe, eight Pochard and a scattering of commoner ducks around the margins.
At least 60 Common Snipe were flushed out of the marsh by an unseen predator mid morning whilst there were ten Fieldfares and ten Redwings feeding on the flood plain.
In the afternoon there were 12 Goosanders on Car Park Pool, of which seven were males. Four Bullfinches showed well together behind Railway Hide and both Grey and Pied Wagtail were feeding in the marsh. Other birds included three Stock Doves, a Green Woodpecker and a Kestrel.
14th January 2020
Wet and windy.
No records.
13th January 2020
Showers a.m. then heavy rain and strong winds, though mild.
Along the Old Road or in the field by the cattle feeder there were two male Bullfinches, a Grey Wagtail and two Pied Wagtails whilst a Peregrine hunted the flood plain.
Grey Wagtail in the new scrape – Photograph by Steven Pattison (12th January 2020)
Seven Common Gulls joined the regular birds on Car Park Pool where there was also a single Little Grebe and three Herons.
A Little Egret on Railway Pool was the first for some days, whilst on the car park feeder there was a male Yellowhammer, six Chaffinches, six Reed Buntings, four Greenfinches, four Goldfinches and a male Pheasant.
Seven Jack Snipe and three Common Snipe were seen in the wet fields over by the mobile phone mast. There were two Mistle Thrushes there and 16 Fieldfares.
12th January 2020
Sunshine and showers.
The Bittern was reported briefly early on in the day but there was no sign late morning.
Two Peregrines hunted the Reserve separately, a juvenile male and an adult female. The female caught a female Wigeon but dropped it and the Wigeon escaped.
Juvenile Peregrine – Photographs by Steven Pattison
Early signs of spring include a singing Skylark over the tip field and two further birds flew over as well. Only 12 Snipe could be found in the marsh along with the now regular Grey Wagtail. A Sparrowhawk flew over and there was a male Cetti’s singing in the north section of the Reedbed.
Photographs by David Shakespeare
Kestrel over Car Park Pool
Pied Wagtail around the car park
Robin around the car park
Common Gull over Car Park Pool
11th January 2020
Overcast with occasional drizzle, windy from the south-west.
The works completed in the marsh yesterday did not discourage the Snipe and there were 50 back there this morning along with a single Grey Wagtail and a second on the Old Road muck heap.
The back-gate copse held a mixed flock of 40 Goldfinches, nine Lesser Redpolls and a Siskin whilst other counts today were as follows: three Mute Swans, 21 Greylags, 110 Canadas, 204 Wigeon, a measly 39 Teal, 14 Shoveler, 36 Gadwall, 18 Mallard, 24 Pochard, 31 Tufted, two pairs of Goosanders, 38 Cormorants, two Little Grebes, three Herons, 11 Moorhen, 57 Coot, 108 Lapwing and four Meadow Pipits on the flood plain.
In the afternoon a disappointingly small work party (five of us) removed the piles of dead vegetation from the island in front of Oak Hide and spent the rest of the afternoon removing material from the largest of the islands. Thanks to all those who attended.
10th January 2020
Sunny, variable winds, mostly from the west.
The re-levelling of the marsh took place this morning so that the banks on either side were removed. New channels were cut.
Prior to the work starting three Ravens went over to the north-west, a Sparrowhawk was around the Reedbed area and a Water Rail called in the marsh north of the hide.
19 Snipe disturbed by the work in the marsh flew into the Reedbed.
On Car Park Pool there were three Goosanders (one male and two female), whilst along the Old Road birds included Nuthatch, two Bullfinch, three Redwing and a Fieldfare. A Single Grey Wagtail and two Pied Wagtails were by the feeder on the flood plain.
Looking into the Reedbed today it was quite tricky because of the bright morning sun.
Photographs by Nick Barlow
Revamping the Marsh –
work in progress and channels still to be formed
9th January 2020
Overcast with heavy rain in the evening.
No records.
8th January 2020
High cloud with occasional sunny intervals and a light westerly breeze.
The Bittern was showing particularly well in the south-east corner of the Reedbed this morning at 9 a.m. but then disappeared back into cover. It was favouring the area of bulrushes in line with the furthest Lifebuoy and reappeared below the nearer lifebuoy at 2 p.m.
On the other side of the causeway a Cetti’s Warbler was calling and at the far end of the marsh, on the left of the channel there were at least 16 Snipe present. Twenty Pheasants were feeding below the Oak Hide feeder.
A Peregrine attacked a Lapwing flock, killed one of the birds but if fell into the water on Railway pool and was not collected. A Kestrel was hunting around the causeway area at 12:30 and caught a rodent there. Lastly there were 12 Fieldfares on the southern flood plain.
7th January 2020
Mostly wet.
A single Whooper Swan was present on Car Park Pool this morning along with a female Goosander. Ten Siskins were feeding in the alders by the back gate and there were 38 Cormorants on Railway Pool.
In the evening there was a small murmuration of Starlings, totalling about 250 birds, but an attack from a Peregrine dispersed them.
6th January 2020
Overcast, windy and mild in the morning with light rain in the afternoon.
The Bittern showed again on the Reed bed Pool and there were three Goosanders (a male and two females) on Car Park Pool. A male Bullfinch showed to the north of the car park along the Old Road and birds at the car park feeder included six Chaffinches, a single Greenfinch, a juvenile male Pheasant, two Starlings, a Moorhen and a pair of Mallard.
A Kestrel hunted generally across the Reserve.
5th January 2020
Initially overcast but sunny later.
The Bittern was still present, though as elusive as ever, and there were two Whooper Swans again on Car Park Pool after only a single bird in the morning. There were also seven Egyptian Geese, at least six Goosanders, 12 Pochard and 12 Common Gulls. Three Green Sandpipers were on the flash, north of Patrick Farm and the adult Greater Black-backed Gull came in briefly. Nine Linnet were of note as that species had been particularly scarce recently. Lastly there was a Peregrine over.
Egyptian Geese
Photographs by Paul Casey
4th January 2020
Windy and mostly overcast.
Today’s counts care of Graham and Dave were as follows: two Mute Swans, 253 Greylags, 87 Canadas, a Greylag Canada Hybrid, 208 Wigeon, 21 Shoveler, 23 Gadwall, 14 Mallard, 91 Teal, seven Pochard, 24 Tufted Ducks, a pair of Goosanders, 35 Cormorants, four Herons, one Little Grebe, 10 Moorhen, 42 Coot, 97 Lapwing, 43 Snipe in the marsh, 26 Black-headed Gulls, 16 Common Gulls, three Herring Gulls, two female Cetti’s Warblers noted from the Reedbed and the marsh, a pair of Yellowhammers on the car park feeder, at least 20 Redwing, two Lesser Redpolls and a House Sparrow at Patrick Farm and two Green Sandpipers on the flash opposite Patrick Farm.
3rd January 2020
Bright and Sunny.
The Bittern was still present on the left-hand side of Reedbed as viewable from the hide but as ever was difficult. Two Peregrines were seen today, an adult over Siden Hill Wood and then an immature over Railway Pool. The pair of Stonechats remained east of the A452 and there was a single Jack Snipe in the wet grassy area near the mobile phone mast.
Other records today comprised two Ravens, the adult Greater Black-backed Gull, 14 Common Gulls, a Cetti’s Warbler heard from the Reedbed area, 20 Snipe in front of Oak Hide, 10 Meadow Pipits in the areas with the Stonechats, a Skylark over and at least five Herring Gulls.
2nd January 2020
Overcast.
The only records today were of the Bittern in its usual place in the Reedbed and a single Whooper Swan in the causeway bay.
Bittern from Causeway Hide
Photographs by Martin Durkin
Whooper on Car Park Pool
Photograph by Martin Durkin
1st January 2020
Grey, overcast and still.
Happy New Year to everybody.
The good run of birds from the last few days of 2019 continued. Aside from the Bittern in its regular location, in the corner to the left of the Reedbed Hide. Birds prior to 9 a.m. included a pair of Whooper Swans on Car Park Pool (until they flew south toward Bradnocks Marsh), a drake Goosander (which flew off at 08:45 but returned later in the morning) and a Peregrine. The Whoopers were clearly different from the regular bird as neither of them had the brown ochreous staining to the head.
Pair of Whooper Swans on Car Park Pool – Photograph by Martin Durkin
26 Snipe were counted at the end of the channel on the bank to the left with a further three Snipe and also three Jack Snipe in the wet field near the mobile phone mast.
A pair of Stonechats were on the uncultivated ground, east of the A452 and other birds of note today were as follows; a Shelduck, three Ravens (which flew west over Siden Hill Wood), 12 Common Gulls, Water Rails in the causeway area and the marsh, 75 Redwing at Patrick Farm, seven Meadow Pipits by Car Park Hide, singles of Siskin and Lesser Redpoll by the back gate, a Kestrel on the railway embankment along with three Bullfinches, at least 25 Goldfinches but quite probably more than that at various places around the Reserve, feeding mostly on the Alders, a showy pair of Green Woodpeckers in the back-gate copse, a Little Egret on Railway Pool and a Great Spotted Woodpecker by the Car Park Feeder.