I was a bit dubious about the weather for today as it was originally forecast cloudy and quite windy but this morning the forecast had improved with some sun predicted and milder temperatures than of late. There was still a bit of a breeze but I reckoned it would be less noticeable amongst the trees which would offer some protection.
I left home at 8.15 am, expecting to be held up at the Air Balloon roundabout, but in the event there were no queues at all and I was at Nagshead RSPB reserve by 9.20 am There were only a few cars in the car park, and after taking the path down to the lower hide, I found it was empty.
The hide overlooks a couple of ponds in a cleared area of the woodland and I waited for ten minutes or so, looking closely at every bird movement but it was mostly great tits and blue tits. Whilst I sat there, there was a splash as a male mandarin arrived in the larger pond, swam around a bit, then proceeded to go to sleep under a overhanging bush. A stock dove arrived and perched on a nearby tree and a willow warbler flitted around a low bush at the smaller pond taking an occasional drink. Three jays were also in the area. Then I spotted a different bird flitting to and fro from a holly bush to a leafless bush on an island in the pond... taking a closer look through my binoculars, I could make out a beautiful male redstart! It was quite active as it visited various bushes around the pond, and occasionally joined by a female, buff in colour but with the same unmistakeable red tail Admittedly it was at a distance but nevertheless it was enjoyable to watch. As I left the hide, there were a number of other birders making their way down to the hide but as the redstart had seemed to have become less active and consequently less easy to spot, I was pleased I had got there early.
Disappointingly there seemed no pied flycatchers around while I was at the reserve, and no one else I spoke to had seen any either despite reports of four indivduals at the end of last week. I decided to leave the hide and have my picnic lunch after which I walked both the short and long trails at the reserve to see what could be found. The usual woodland birds were present, including nuthatch, tree creeper, coal tits, long tailed tits, blackcaps, chiff chaff and willow warbler. An unexpected sighting was a lone redwing!
After spending four hours at the reserve I headed for home, having added three more year ticks.
path to the lower hide
the lower hide over looking the ponds
mandarin
stock dove
willow warbler
dunnock
redstart
jay
redstart
the long trail
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