It was bitterly cold when I visited Maple Lodge yesterday (14th December) and I spent a fair bit of time in the Clubhouse Hide with a hot cup of coffee to warm my cold hands.
I had just sat down and opened the hide window, my coffee in front of me and my camera still in my rucksack when a Water Rail appeared from the right hand side and quickly made its way across the front of the hide. A perfect photo opportunity missed ! And despite loitering for over an hour it didn't make a re-appearance.
There was still some snow on the ground and the majority of the lake was frozen over.
The picture below is out of focus but made me smile as it looks as if the Squirrel doesn't want to get it's paws cold......
The feeders were naturally busy and the 'table top' feeder station was busy with visiting Blackbird....
the resident Robin.....
and of course the Chaffinch.....
There were also a pair of Coal Tit flitting about, but the only decent photo I got was of one on the feeders...
The feeder on the left hand side was nearly always taken up by a small rat....
Over the other side of the lake, the ice had thawed out a little and a Little Grebe was taking advantage of the open water....
There was a handsome drake Mallard with unusual colouring along with a very pale female. These colourations aren't that unusual. At Kensington Gardens there is a pure white drake Mallard and there are a few 'blonde' females at the London Wetland Centre.....
The resident Great Spotted Woodpecker kept appearing at his favourite feeder, and at one point dropped down low in to the scrub on the left hand side.....
The other hides were very quiet and the majority of the birds were found in the woodland (aka the Everglades) but the views across the frozen waters were quite magical.....
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| view from Long Hedge Hide |
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| view from Teal Hide |
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| view from Clubhouse Hide |
I was walking towards Comma Corner when I spotted about 10 small birds on the path ahead. Unfortunately the sun was directly in my eyes and I fired off a few 'blind' shots before the birds flew off. In amongst the small birds was at least one Siskin (apologies for the dreadful photos - heavily cropped and lightened)....
A bit further along the familiar squeaks of the Long-tailed Tits had me searching the trees. This was one of at least three mixed flocks that I encountered around the reserve. The flocks consisted of the LTTs plus Blue and Great Tits, several Goldcrest and really good numbers of Treecreepers.....
The photos below are from several different points around the reserve. It was lovely to see these well camouflaged birds so showy.....
The Goldcrests were a lot harder to photograph, and I would have been happy with the two photos below if only they were in focus.....
There's a viewing platform between the Shell and Long Hedge Hide which offers great views across the farm fields. Canada Geese outnumbered Greylag Geese by about 10-1. There have been several recent reports of a lone Barnacle Goose mingling with it's larger cousins, and it didn't take long to pick it out......
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| spot the Barnacle... |
What a cracking little goose.
On my way in to the reserve I had spotted six Redwing on the playing field opposite the social club. Several hours later when I left there were eleven feeding happily in the thawing grass.....
These surely must be our most attractive winter visiting thrush.
Other birds seen today were a Common Buzzard perched on one of the farm posts, a Red Kite going over, a Sparrowhawk hunting low through the everglades, one Grey Heron, one pair of Teal and four Ring-necked Parakeets. Sadly no sign of the lingering Great White Egret. He/she was last seen the day before the heavy snowfall on Sunday.
As always though a very enjoyable visit to the reserve.
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