Coate Water

At last, a sunny day on which to visit the hides at Coate Water! At Hide 1, there were plenty of blue tits and great tits, also robin, dunnock, great spotted woodpecker, coot, moorhen, kingfisher (flying past) and long tailed tits.

great tit

greater spotted woodpecker

moorhen

At Hide 2 I also saw goldcrests, robin, gadwall, mallards, swan, teal, shoveler, chaffinch,  wren and just as I was about to leave a water rail appeared (and quickly disappeared!) Additionally, on the main lake were canada geese, cormorants, blackheaded gulls and tufted ducks, also noted magpie, woodpigeons, crows, and several grey squirrels. 

gadwall

robin

water rail

teal

shovelers

Whelford Pools

 Just time for a quick walk at Whelford Pools nature reserve, the light was fading and all was quiet on the lakes, apart from a few   coots, swans and blackheaded gulls. In the trees and bushes were a few blue tits, but too difficult to manage any decent photos today.

Nightingale wood

At last managed to get out for a walk, though it quickly became windy and colder as I walked. Lots of bare trees, but managed to get glimpses of goldcrest, long tailed tits, chaffinches, blackbirds and a flock of goldfinches. The only photo I managed was a rather blurred one of a male chaffinch, which surprised me with the amount of yellow showing on its wing feathers. 

Goosanders at Stanton Park

I had a brief visit to Stanton park this morning before the rain started. Pleased to note at least half a dozen goosanders on the lake, plus a male teal.

Also seen at Stanton, grey heron, black headed gulls, mallards, mute swans, moorhen, blue tit, great tit, robin, dunnock, blackbird, coal tit, long tailed tits,tree creeper and goldcrest.

glimpse of a gold crest

coal tit on the feeding station

Lower Moor Farm

It started to drizzle as I arrived at Lower Moor Farm, but I went down to the first hide and watched the bird table for about 20 minutes. There were a lot of tits, including blue tits, great tit coal tit and long tailed tit.

blue tits

coal tit

Also visiting the area  were robin, wren, chaffinches and reed warbler .

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reed warbler

Finally they were all seen off by this mallard who landed on the bird table and proceeded to tuck in.

Lechlade nature reserve

First proper frost of the winter so far, though I was surprised to see the lake was frozen in the middle at Lechlade, just a few mallards dabbling around the edge, whilst the blackheaded gulls just stood silently in the middle.

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