MAMMALS AND BIRDS

I spent a hour or so at Hide 1 at Coate Water today, beautiful sunny afternoon, albeit a bit chillier than of late, especially when I left. 

Together with some others, I watched the antics of a squirrel, being chased by a rat, as well as a bank vole appearing now and then to feed off a log. 

Birds noted were:

Heron, canada geese, mallard, tufted duck, gadwall, cormorant, kingfisher, water rail (heard), chaffinch, dunnock, great tit, blue tit, wigeon

autumnal scene from the hide

chaffinch

gadwall

bank vole

swan and cygnets preening in the sun

squirrel playing 'peekaboo' with a rat!