28th December 2010

Guided Walk: (Started 8am)

About 15 people turned up for the guided walk. We saw 3 Bitterns at the Marston Corner of Stewartby Lake. Some people (but not me) also saw 2 Waxwings near the sewage works and the female Smew on Stewartby Lake.

27th December 2010

This female Smew was found by John Lynch near the Stewartby Lake gullwatch. Here is a short video of the Smew:



Also seen today:

1 Dunlin, 1 Lapwing and 2 Redshank on the sailing club bank of Stewartby Lake
Bittern - 1 near the lagoon corner of Stewartby Lake
Water Rail - lagoon corner of Stewartby Lake
2 Foxes

I missed 4 Waxwings seen briefly by Steve Blain near the Sailing club bank of Stewartby Lake,and two more seen by Phil Candlish by Jubilee Cottages...

26th December 2010

More Bitterns... :-)

The above is a video-grab from the following video taken at the marston corner of Stewartby Lake.

Also seen today:

Cetti's Warbler, Little Egret, Water Rails, male Pintail all in the marston corner of Stewartby Lake and a total of at least four Bitterns. I missed two Bewick's Swans which were seen on the lake, probably whilst I was trying to video the Bitterns...

25th December 2010 - White Xmas...

This Little Egret was standing in the marston corner of Stewartby Lake. Here is a video of the egret:

http://vimeo.com/18170953

This Water Rail walked passed me in the marston corner of Stewartby Lake.

Also seen:

1 Bittern - more distantly this time...

Peregrine - on one of the chimneys

Kingfisher - in the marston corner of Stewartby Lake.

24th December 2010

Another video grab of a Bittern on Stewartby Lake - There are currently 5 or 6 around the edge of the lake.

Two Scaup in the Marston Corner of Stewartby Lake.

Water Rail - Marston Corner of Stewartby Lake.

Here is some video of the Bittern:

http://vimeo.com/18158768

Also seen:

The male Pintail was still in the stream outlet at the marston corner of Stewartby Lake.

23rd December 2010

Another Bittern video-grab, getting better now, this time with a fish... :-)

Male Pintail - in the Marston Corner stream outlet into Stewartby Lake.

Assorted birds on the ice near the scrapyard corner of Stewartby Lake.

Also seen today:

1 Scaup

1+Buzzard

Sparrowhawk

22nd December 2010

Video grab of a Bittern on Stewartby Lake.

A snowy visitors centre...

A panorama taken from the Pillinge hide.

I arrived at the gullwatch about 8am. It started to snow about 8.05am and continued to snow until about 9.40am. I got the above video grab of the Bittern when it was walking on the ice not far from the Marston Corner of Stewartby Lake. During the rest of the day I also saw 2 female-type Scaup and a male Goosander.