Coate water

I wrapped up warm for a visit to Coate Water this afternoon. Lovely blue sky but a cold wind. At Hide 1 there were mallards, tufted ducks, cormorants,  mute swans, pochards, shovelers, great crested grebes, wigeon, heron,coots and moorhens. Also saw red kite which was being mobbed overhead.

Swans flying in

Great crested grebe with a fish

 At the feeders were several great tits and blue tits, and a greater spotted woodpecker, and robin. A squirrel also decided to come and take his fill of bird food on the ground feeding area.  Other species on and around the main lake were canada geese, black headed gulls, feral pigeons, and pied wagtails. 

greater spotted woodpecker (female) 

great tit

blue tit

robin

grey squirrel helping itself to bird food