Temperatures throughout January remained low, with a lot of cold frosty mornings and overnight freezing conditions down to minus eight in this part of Hampshire, on one particular day.
Although cold, it's been good for birding, clear and sunny with mostly good visibility, but some misty mornings for good measure.
On the 9th, fifty Grey wagtail were seen coming and going from the sewage farm at Moor Green Lakes, Berks, whilst two hundred and ten Canada geese were grazing nearby.
It was off to Wishmoor Bottom, on the 13th, a large area of lowland heath, near Sandhurst, Berks, where a Great grey shrike had been overwintering. Unfortunately for me, it decided not to show itself, but I wasn't disappointed, as two splendid male Dartford warblers and a Coal tit were seen.
Reports that two male and one female Red-crested pochards were at Horseshoe lake, Berks, had me scurrying over there on the morning of the 18th and as luck would have it, they were near the edge of the lake, so I managed a few photos. The birds were stunning, the males with their bright red eyes and splendid crested heads.
This was the first time for about five years that I had seen Red-crested pochard, so this sighting was something to savour.
On the same day I visited Grove Lake hide (part of Moor Green Lakes and next to Horseshoe Lake) where I watched a female Kingfisher catching Sticklebacks from a stream nearby, a fabulous little bird.
Although cold, it's been good for birding, clear and sunny with mostly good visibility, but some misty mornings for good measure.
On the 9th, fifty Grey wagtail were seen coming and going from the sewage farm at Moor Green Lakes, Berks, whilst two hundred and ten Canada geese were grazing nearby.
It was off to Wishmoor Bottom, on the 13th, a large area of lowland heath, near Sandhurst, Berks, where a Great grey shrike had been overwintering. Unfortunately for me, it decided not to show itself, but I wasn't disappointed, as two splendid male Dartford warblers and a Coal tit were seen.
Reports that two male and one female Red-crested pochards were at Horseshoe lake, Berks, had me scurrying over there on the morning of the 18th and as luck would have it, they were near the edge of the lake, so I managed a few photos. The birds were stunning, the males with their bright red eyes and splendid crested heads.
This was the first time for about five years that I had seen Red-crested pochard, so this sighting was something to savour.
On the same day I visited Grove Lake hide (part of Moor Green Lakes and next to Horseshoe Lake) where I watched a female Kingfisher catching Sticklebacks from a stream nearby, a fabulous little bird.
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