February and yet more rain. The riverbank overtopped and it wasn’t until later in the month that the water receded enough to allow circular walks along the Downslink & river.  Floods not a recent phenomenon though. The photo from John Coit is of the river at Chates bridge in the 1990s!

Fantastic sighting on the 2nd by Debbie & Nige – a Marsh Harrier near Rye Farm! The next day there were 10 Tufted Ducks between Rye & Buckwish, and the Black Swan was hanging around by the heronry. 

On the 4th the geese herd north of Betley still included some White-fronted, but also 6 Barnacle Geese.  Blackbird song was heard on the 5th by Simon. More Blackbirds, and Song Thrushes, were heard by Nige and the Area 2 group on the 10th, but the highlight was a group of 12 Siskins near Morley Farm.  They found Yellowhammers and still good numbers of Chaffinches and Goldfinches in what was left of the sunflowers near Bilsborough.  A tragedy that developers want to cover so much of this area in houses and tarmac.

A change of subject for John P on the 13th – he took a break to watch Common Toads while walking Ziggy.   Mike did his area count on the 17th, slogging through mud, but enjoying many singing Song Thrushes and Skylarks.  He found 2 Yellow-legged Gulls near the old landfill site, and when he got home there were 3 Reed Buntings on the feeders.

More squelching through mud – and more Song Thrushes – for Angela & Tony F on their count on the 20th, and on the 22nd Linda was delighted with her first ever Water Rail – Rye Farm ponds again.

Balcony birding by Mike & Lesley on the 23rd afforded views of a pair of Buzzards and FOUR Red Kites. 

Andy, Anne & I were doing the monthly count that day too.  Came across Alex R who pointed out a Little Gull hawking over the brooks, we found a single Shelduck among the wildfowl, could see 4 nests in the heronry, and Anne was first to spot 2 Great White Egrets just south of Stretham. They dwarfed a Little Egret!

First Brimstone of the year for Mike on the 24th, and a Siskin was still a regular visitor. A very attractive Blushing Bracket Fungus was found by Liz T.  29 species in 50 minutes for Tony F at Rye Farm on the 26th, including 10 Little Egrets, Teal and Wigeon, Chaffinches and Song Thrushes, Chiffchaffs singing,  then “Merlin” picked up a Treecreeper.  A Blackcap was singing near Braziers.