February 10th. Another cloudy day with occasional drizzle and a light easterly breeze.
There were 18 White-fronted Geese on Field 10 early on. A new record reserve count of Shoveler was made of 195 in one go but then another broken count also resulted in 227 so good numbers either way!
Also around the water bodies were 6 Gadwall, 400 Wigeon, 2 Pintail (Pair on Moat Pond), 120 Teal, 34 Tufted Duck, 5 Little Grebe, 1500 Lapwing (Croft Marsh), 9 Curlew, 1 Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Cetti's Warblers (Both singing around Tennyson's Sands despite the weather!).
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Brent Goose, 9th February 2026
Photo - Mike Watts |
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A pair of Pintail, 10th February 2026
Photo - Nige Lound |
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Curlew, 9th February 2026
Photo - Mike Watts |
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Skylark, 9th February 2026
Photo - Mike Watts |
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Linnets, 9th February 2026
Photo - Mike Watts |
February 9th. A warmer day with some broken sunny intervals in a light south south easterly.
Highlights of the day were a fine female Scaup that was found on Tennyson's Sands early on and stayed for the majority of the day. Also new in on there were 2 Avocets. Lapwings continued to put on a show over Croft Marsh with 7000 moving around. Also on Field 10 early on were 12 Barnacle Geese and 17 White-fronted Geese remained there longer.
Elsewhere around the water bodies and Croft Marsh were 69 Pink-footed Geese, 153 Shoveler, 18 Gadwall, 700 Wigeon, 140 Teal, 36 Tufted Duck, 7 Little Grebe, 200 Golden Plover, 46 Curlew, 18 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Kingfisher and 3 Cetti's Warbler (All singing males).
Also seen today were 20+ Woodcock, 1 male Hen Harrier, 1 Buzzard, 1 Short-eared Owl (Old Saltmarsh), 1 Merlin.
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Female Scaup with Tufted Ducks on Tennyson's Sands, 9th February 2026
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth |
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First 2 Avocets of the year on Tennyson's Sands, 9th February 2026
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth |
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Lapwings putting on a show, 9th February 2026
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth |
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White-fronted Geese on Field 10, 9th February 2026
Photo - Nige Lound |
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White-fronted Geese on Field 10, 9th February 2026
Photo - Nige Lound |
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Tufted Ducks, 8th February 2026
Photo - David Nutt |
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Oystercatchers on the beach, 8th February 2026
Photo - David Nutt |
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Cormorants and waders on the beach, 8th February 2026
Photo - David Nutt |
February 8th. A cloudy day but staying dry in a light southerly breeze.
Highlights of the day were 11 White-fronted Geese on Field 10 and a further 31 flew South into the Wash early afternoon. Also 10,000 Lapwing were flying around the reserve for much of the day coming and going from Croft Marsh and beyond.
On the water bodies were 128 Shoveler, 13 Gadwall, 700 Wigeon, 62 Mallard, 240 Teal, 32 Tufted Duck, 8 Little Grebe and a calling Cetti's Warbler (Harvey's Hide). Also about were 200 Golden Plover (Croft Marsh), 48 Curlew, 23 Black-tailed Godwit, a Buzzard and a Barn Owl
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Lapwings, 8th February 2026
Photo - David Nutt |
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Some of 10,000 Lapwings over Croft Marsh, 8th February 2026
Photo - Nige Lound |
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Curlews and Wigeon etc 8th February 2026
Photo - Nige Lound |
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Shoveler's 8th February 2026
Photo - David Nutt |
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Grazing the natural way in the West Dunes, 8th February 2026
Photo - David Nutt |
February 7th. A virtual repeat of yesterday with occasional drizzle and a light east south easterly wind.
A look at the high tide roost produced 2300 Oystercatchers, 5000 Lapwing, 800 Grey Plover, 80 Curlew, 300 Bar-tailed Godwit, 3 Turnstone, 3500 Knot, 250 Sanderling and 400 Dunlin. Over the sea 3 Red-throated Divers headed south. Also on the beach were 3000 Herring Gulls.
The water bodies around the reserve and Croft Marsh held 14 White-fronted Geese (Field 10), 171 Shoveler, 17 Gadwall, 700 Wigeon, 35 Mallard, 1 drake Pintail, 260 Teal, 1 drake Pochard, 46 Tufted Duck, 4 Little Grebe and 1 Cetti's Warbler (Singing by North Hide). On Croft Marsh and beyond were 800 Golden Plover and 7000 Lapwings.
Also around the reserve, there were 4 Woodcock, 1 Marsh Harrier, 3 Fieldfare and a female Bullfinch.
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Velvet Shanks Fungus (Flammulina velutipes), also known as Enoki or Wild Enoki
8th February 2026, Photo - Caroline Sedgley |
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Velvet Shanks Fungus (Flammulina velutipes), also known as Enoki or Wild Enoki
8th February 2026, Photo - Caroline Sedgley |
February 6th. Another cloudy day with occasional rain through put in a moderate easterly wind dropping as the day went on.
Very poor visibility again today but it continues to be very busy along the foreshore with good numbers of Waders and large Gulls feeding. 8 Woodcock came out of a relatively small patch of scrub in the West Dunes.
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Jelly Ear Fungus (Auricularia auricula-judae), 8th February 2026
Photo - Caroline Sedgley |
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Fungus colony - a bracket type, possibly Tripe fungus or possibly Splitgill Fungus,
8th February 2026, Photo - Caroline Sedgley |
February 5th. A mainly cloudy day with occasional light rain or drizzle in a strong easterly wind.
Highlight of the day were 2 Ravens that flew Eastwards over the entrance to the reserve.
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A cold cloudy day sea watching, 2nd February 2026
Photo - Nige Lound |
February 4th. Another cloudy day, staying dry with the light easterly wind continuing.
A sea watch produced 18 Shoveler, 11 Eider and 4 Red-throated Diver (South). On the beach were 800 Oystercatcher, 1200 Grey Plover, 120 Redshank, 40 Turnstone, 120 Sanderling, 150 Dunlin, 3500 Herring Gulls and 48 Great Black-backed Gull.
The water bodies around the reserve held 12 White-fronted Geese, 138 Shoveler, 23 Gadwall, 600 Wigeon (Croft Marsh and Field 10), 44 Mallard, 4 drake Pintail (1 on Mere and 3 on Jackson's Marsh), 135 Teal, 2 drake Pochard (Tennyson's Sands, later on the Mere), 34 Tufted Duck, 7 Little Grebe, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Snipe and 2 Cetti's Warbler (Tennyson's Sands). Out from North Hide in the late afternoon, 12 White-fronted Geese were feeding on Croft Marsh.
Elsewhere around the reserve, were 20 Woodcock, 1 Buzzard, 1 Short-eared Owl (Visitor Centre Car Park at Dusk), 1 Peregrine, 2 Fieldfare, 2 Corn Bunting and 19 Reed Bunting.
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Drake Pintail on the Mere, 4th February 2026
Photo - Nige Lound |
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Drake Pochards, 4th February 2026
Photo - Nige Lound |
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Ducks flushed on Tennyson's Sands, 3rd February 2026
Photo - David Nutt |
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Reed Bunting actually in Reeds! 4th February 2026
Photo - Nige Lound |
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Snowdrops along the cycle track, 3rd February 2026
Photo - David Nutt |
February 3rd. Cloudy all day again with rain near to dusk and a moderate cold easterly wind.
The 12 Barnacle Geese were re-found on feeding on the Fresh Water Marsh early morning but had left there by mid morning. A look at the sea produced 1 drake Red-breasted Merganser and 1 Red-throated Diver heading South. On the beach were 300 oystercatcher, 60 Sanderling, 2500 Herring Gull, 6 Great Black-backed Gull and 1 adult Caspian Gull.
Elsewhere around the reserve 3 White-fronted Geese remained (Field 10), 1 Barn Owl, 2 Mistle Thrush (Field 10) and 1 Rock Pipit.
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White-fronted Geese (Field 10), 3rd February 2026
Photo - Nige Lound |
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Wigeon over Croft Marsh, 3rd February 2026
Photo - David Nutt |
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Shoveler, 2nd February 2026
Photo - Mike Watts |
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Tufted Duck, 2nd February 2026
Photo - Mike Watts |
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Marsh Harrier, 3rd February 2026
Photo - David Nutt |
February 2nd. Cloudy all day but staying dry in an increasing easterly wind.
Highlight of the day were 12 Barnacle Geese found feeding out from Mill Hill on the saltings during the morning. Also out on the foreshore was the lone Shorelark.
A look at the sea produced 1 drake Pintail, 18 Teal, 6 Eider, 2 Red-throated Diver and a Shag along the shoreline, all heading South. The beach was again a mass of Gulls with 9 Great Black-backed Gulls and 3500 Herring Gulls.
The Water bodies around the reserve contained 160 Shoveler, 10 Gadwall, 10 Wigeon, 72 Teal, 4 Tufted Duck, 1 Water Rail (Harvey's Hide), 2 Little Grebe, 26 Black-tailed Godwit and 1 Cetti's Warbler (Tennyson's Sands).
Also about the reserve were 13 White-fronted Geese (Field 10), 1 Woodcock, 5000 Lapwing (Croft Marsh and beyond), 2 Short-eared Owls and an adult male Marsh Harrier.
Barnacle Geese, 2nd February 2026
Video - Nige Lound
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Lapwings over Croft Marsh, 2nd February 2026
Photo - Mike Watts |
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Black-tailed Godwits over Tennyson's Sands, 2nd February 2026
Photo - Mike Watts |
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Redshank on the beach, 2nd February 2026
Photo - Mike Watts |
February 1st. A cloudy day with light rain later on and just a hint of an easterly breeze.
On the water bodies were 15 Brent Geese & 13 White-fronted Geese (Croft Marsh), 171 Shoveler, 6 Gadwall, 400 Wigeon, 47 Mallard, 150 Teal, 31 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebe, 13 Black-tailed Godwits and 1 Cetti's Warbler (North Hide).
Also around the reserve were 85 Pink-footed Geese (South), 2500 Golden Plover and 10,000 Lapwing (Croft Marsh and beyond), 1 Marsh Harrier and 1 Barn Owl.
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Little Grebe, 30th January 2026
Photo - David Nutt |
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