Monday, January 18, 2016

Diary Entry #7 Brandon Marsh

Spent quite a productive few hours at Brandon Marsh this afternoon in the company of Derek Bennett. At Grebe Pool (1♂+2♀) Goosander were asleep on the fishing pontoon and (20+) Siskin were feeding in the alder near the 'Saga' sign.

At least (8) Gadwall on Teal Pool
After a long chat with Jim Timms, who I forgot to mention Dee and I bumped into at Horsbere Brook for the Penduline Tits on Saturday, we headed off for Teal Pool Hide. No sign of yesterdays reported Bearded Tits but (8) Gadwall on the pool and a flyover brace of Little Egret, which were heading east. At the East Marsh Hide we spent an hour and had a decent count of (12) Pochard, along with (2) Great Crested Grebe and (5) Wigeon. While still in the hide a Bittern was observed flying from the Carlton Pool across Alban's Reedbed area (formerly Newlands) right to left at 14.30.

A quick visit to the Carlton Hide had a second sighting of the Bittern, which flew up from the far end of the pool before dropping down almost immediately behind the reeds. A brief stay at the Ted Jury Hide was quiet, with the exception of (2♀) Bullfinch and a single Barnacle Goose was feeding on the golf course among the Canada Geese.

Other notables on the walk back to the centre included Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Willow Tit at Carlton Ditch, unfortunately only heard and (4) Lesser Redpoll in the alder at the same spot. The Goosander seen earlier asleep on Grebe Pool were now on the move when we passed by!