Jan 9th Strumpshaw Fen

No go along the river trail today...

Not the most memorable of days at Strumpshaw today as not only was it raining on and off again for the second Wednesday running, half the reserve was also underwater. Paths leading to the Fen and Tower Hides were both closed off due to heavy flooding. This meant that the Reception Hide was the only hide open today. And guess what exciting things I had to watch all morning? Yep, ducks. To be fair, there weren't great numbers of the usual mallards, gadwall, teal and shovelers (and coots) than expected out on the broad. Maybe the high water levels has made it difficult to dabble for food? Who knows. At least there were decent numbers of marsh harriers and buzzards over the reserve today with at least 5-6 of these birds in the sky together at one point, though they were preferring the far side of the reserve instead of soaring closer to the hide.

No go to Fen Hide either

Flooded pond

View from Reception Hide today

Rainbow

Hybrid duck

Mallard

Shoveler

Teal

Gadwall

Coot

Little Grebe

Pheasant

Marsh Tit

Siskin