10th March Very cold with a near-continuous mix of rain, sleet, hail and snow showers until early afternoon when it became more settled.
Difficult conditions but a report of a single Egyptian Goose was received in the morning. An afternoon session produced a Short-eared Owl, a Hen Harrier, 2 Marsh Harrier, 3 Water Pipit, a Woodcock, 30 Redwing and a Snow Bunting.
9th March. Cold again with wintery showers and a northerly breeze.
The highlight of a brief morning watch was a Red Kite, mobile around the Reserve - a pristine plumaged bird, possibly the same as the one seen recently. A waterbird survey from the hides revealed good local counts of 125 Shoveler and 62 Tufted Duck whilst 15 redwings were feeding along the edge of Jackson's Marsh.
8th March. A cold day with wintery showers.
Nothing much new to report today.
7th March. Starting cool with a light northerly wind but strong sun late morning providing much warmth in sheltered spots. A contrasting afternoon saw an increasing north wind and fronts bring sleet and snow.
Birds around included 2 Barn Owl, a Short-eared Owl, a Peregrine and a Hen Harrier. A hint of southerly passage involved 5 Chaffinch, 2 Siskin and 3 Rook.
6th March. Cold with regular rain showers and a north wind.
Today's highlights were a Bearded Tit on Tennyson's Sands and a 2CY Caspian Gull in the evening roost from the Wash Viewpoint.
5th March. A slight drop in temperature this morning but fairly calm and overcast resulting in very good birding conditions and visibility out to sea.
Two Goosander flew north and an adult summer Med Gull made its presence known, calling overhead before departing south. A Great Northern Diver arrived at some height from the north, veering inland before changing course and heading south into the Wash. Also offshore, a Harbour Porpoise was close in. Two vocal Egyptian Geese were entertaining local residents with displays on their roof-tops down Gibraltar Road! A Chiffchaff in the East Dunes was a new arrival. Also around were 2 Snow Bunting and a Short-eared Owl.
4th March. Early morning drizzle becoming intermittent later and with a cool northerly wind.
Quiet again at sea except for c15 red-throated Divers. A Red Kite arrived from the north and circled over the Old Saltmarsh just prior to the arrival of 2 Ravens that circled the north end of the East Dunes and outer ridges, possibly going down at the north end. Snow Buntings were up to 24 along the beach, with 105 Linnet. Birds of Prey over the Old Saltmarsh late afternoon included 3 Short-eared Owls and a Barn Owl.
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3rd March. Evidence of a turnover of bids in the Brent Goose flock came in the form of a very distinctive leucistic bird that had not ben seen here over the winter. It seems likely that it is the same as a bird seen in France in late February. Other birds around included 2 Water Pipit, 2 Short-eared Owl, 17 Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Redwing and a Collared Dove.
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2nd March. A biting north-east wind depressing temperatures, but dry and overcast with good visibility.
At sea, a few Red-throated Divers and groups of Eider, with a single Black-throated Diver heading north. A Green Woodpecker was a scarce sighting for this time of year. 5 Water Pipits were around late afternoon with 2 Hen Harrier and 2 Marsh Harrier going to roost.
Ringing Control: A 1st winter female Blackbird ringed at Helgoland, Germany on 5th November 2023, was retrapped at Gibraltar Point on 14th November 2023.
1st March. Mostly overcast with fairly regular bouts of drizzle or rain showers.
A Woodlark was over the east Dunes early morning with 13 Snow Buntings on the beach and 15 Red-throated Divers offshore. A Water Rail showed well at Bean's Hole (the bomb crater on the Old Saltmarsh at the seaward end of the South Marsh Road) and 25 Whooper Swans were in local fields. On the lagoons wildfowl counts included 132 Shoveler, 240 Wigeon, 350 Teal, 650 Brent Geese and a Pintail, with 150 Lapwing and 25 Black-tailed Godwit. A good selection of Pipits again on the Fenland Lagoon included 3 Water Pipits, 4 Rock Pipits (2 littoralis) and 8 Meadow Pipits. Birds coming in to roost included a Hen Harrier, 4 Marsh Harrier and 800 Pink-footed Geese.
