Please note - the flood barrier will be closed by the Environment Agency over the morning tide on Thursday morning, so access to the Visitor Centre Car Park will not be possible until the tide has receded. North Car Park will be open as usual.
February 18th. Another cloudy but dry day but feeling colder still in a moderate biting easterly wind.
Ten Barnacle Geese were still on Field 10 along with 23 White-fronted Geese. The high tide brought over 15000 mixed waders up to roost but sea watching was again very poor with just 1 drake Red-breasted Merganser on the sea and 2 Red-throated Diver (North). On the beach were 42 Curlew and 122 Cormorant.
The water bodies held 11 Shelduck, 153 Shoveler, 11 Gadwall, 350 Wigeon, 2 Pintail (A pair on the Mere), 120 Teal, 25 Tufted Duck, 5 Little Grebe, 27 Black-tailed Godwit. On Croft Marsh, there were 40 Golden Plover and 600 Lapwing.
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| Lapwings over Croft Marsh, 17th February 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Curlew, 14th February 2026 Photo - Paul Neale |
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| Drake Shoveler, 14th February 2026 Photo - Paul Neale |
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| Gull Roost on Greenshanks Creek, 14th February 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Seal travelling up the river on high tide, 14th February 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
Highlight of the day was a sea watch that produced an unexpected Sooty Shearwater heading south at 7.50am, seen by two observers. Also seen on the sea watch was 4 Pintail, 17 Eider, 1 Red-breasted Merganser and 4 Red-throated Divers. On the beach, there were 1500 Herring Gull and 67 Cormorants.
On the Field 10 there were again, 12 Barnacle Geese, 34 White-fronted Geese, 36 Curlew, 10 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Mistle Thrush and 2 Red-legged Partridges. On Croft Marsh were 120 Golden Plover, 29 Black-tailed Godwits, 22 Curlew and 1200 Lapwing. The water bodies held 220 Shoveler, 450 Wigeon, 40 Teal, 1 Water Rail and a Cetti's Warbler.
Also of note today were 1 Woodcock, 1 Adult male Marsh Harrier, 1 3rd CY male Hen Harrier, 2 Buzzard, 1 Red Kite (South at 11,30am), 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Rook (South), 1 Male Stonechat (Compartment 26) and 21 Corn Buntings (Usual tree by the hump).
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| 3 Barnacle Geese, 4 White-fronted Geese and 2 Pink-footed Geese, 17th February 2026 Photo - Nige Lound |
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| Brent Geese, 17th February 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Tufted Ducks, 17th February 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Drake Shoveler, 15th February 2026 Photo - Paul Neale |
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| Cormorant heading up the coast, 14th February 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Sparrowhawk with a ring on, 15th February 2026 Photo - Paul Neale |
Field 10 was again home to the 12 Barnacle Geese and 23 White-fronted Geese. Elsewhere on the water bodies around the reserve and Croft Marsh, there were 75 Pink-footed Geese, 191 Shoveler, 23 Gadwall, 500 Wigeon, 52 Mallard, 280 teal, 35 Tufted Duck, 23 Coot, 7 Little Grebe, 150 Golden Plover, 1200 Lapwing, 59 Curlew and 31 Black-tailed Godwit.
Other birds around included, a Marsh Harrier, 3 Red Kites (All south over Croft Marsh - a single and a pair), 3 Buzzard and 120 Jackdaw.
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| 12 Barnacle Geese & 12 White-fronted Geese 16th February 2026 Photo - Nige Lound |
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| Red Kite, 16th February 2026 Photo - Nige Lound |
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| Male Stonechat, 14th February 2026 Photo - Mike Watts |
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| Female Stonechat, 14th February 2026 Photo - Mike Watts |
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| Corn Bunting, 14th February 2026 Photo - Mike Watts |
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| Skylark, 14th February 2026 Photo - Mike Watts |
Highlight of the day was at Field 10 which was again home to 21 White-fronted Geese during the afternoon.
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| Male Tufted Duck, 14th February 2026 Photo - Jeremy Eyeons |
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| Female Tufted Duck, 14th February 2026 Photo - Jeremy Eyeons |
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| A Pair of Mallards, 14th February 2026 Photo - Jeremy Eyeons |
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| Lapwings on Tennyson's Sands, 14th February 2026 Photo - Jeremy Eyeons |
Highlights of the day were again, all around the Geese on Field 10 where there were 12 Barnacle Geese, 23 White-fronted Geese, 5 Bean Geese and 1 Egyptian Goose.
On the beach were 480 Oystercatcher, 63 Curlew, 170 Sanderling, 130 Redshank and 3000 Herring Gulls. Flying south over the sea was a Red-throated Diver.
The water bodies around the reserve held 174 Shoveler, 13 Gadwall, 450 Wigeon, 130 Teal, 39 Tufted Duck, 6 Little Grebe, 21 Black-tailed Godwits and 1 Cetti's Warbler. On Croft Marsh and beyond were 2000 Lapwing and 350 Golden Plover. Elsewhere around the reserve were 450 Pink-footed Geese, 4 Woodcock, 2 Marsh Harrier, 5 Buzzard, 28 Fieldfare, 2 Mistle Thrush, 6 Stonechats (Storm Ridge) and 19 Corn Buntings.
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| White-fronted Geese, 14th February 2026 Photo - Nige Lound |
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| Barnacle Geese and single Egyptian Geese, 14th February 2026 Photo - Nige Lound |
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| Shoveler's, 14th February 2026 Photo - Paul Neale |
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| Lapwings, 14th February 2026 Photo - Paul Neale |
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| Curlews, 14th February 2026 Photo - Paul Neale |
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| Teak on the river bank, 14th February 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Ringed Plover on the estuary, 14th February 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Redshank on the estuary, 14th February 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
On Tennyson's Sands was a fine female Goosander. Also about were 200 Brent Geese, 46 Shelduck, 2 Buzzards, 1 Marsh Harrier and 21 Corn Buntings.
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| Female Goosander, 13th February 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Female Goosander, 13th February 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Shoveler's, 13th February 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Canada Goose fly over, 13th February 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Double Buzzard, 13th February 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
On the water bodies were 160 Shoveler, 200 wigeon, 100 Teal, 20 Tufted Duck, 3 Little Grebe, 1 Water Rail, 34 Black-tailed Godwit and 1 Cetti's Warbler.
Also on Croft Marsh and beyond were 3000 Lapwing and also around were 2 Marsh Harrier.
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| Wigeon on Croft Marsh, 12th February 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Shoveler's, 12th February 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Gadwall, 12th February 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Curlews, 12th February 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Lapwing, 12th February 2026 Photo - David Nutt |
The large numbers of Shoveler's on the water bodies meant that today, a co-ordinated count was done of all three hides on Tennyson's Sands, the Mere and Jacksons Marsh. This resulted in a new reserve record count of 233 Shoveler!
Also on the water bodies around the reserve early morning, were 120 Pink-footed Geese, 5 Gadwall, 700 Wigeon, 2 Pintail (Pair again on Moat Pond), 80 Teal, 21 Tufted Duck, 1 female Scaup (Tennyson's at first, later on Jacksons), 9 Little Grebe, 5000 Lapwing (Croft Marsh), 27 Curlew, 6 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 male Marsh Harrier and 1 Cetti's Warbler (Jackson's Marsh).
Mid morning, 2 Egyptian Geese were on Tennyson's Sands. Then early afternoon 19 White-fronted Geese and 10 Barnacle Geese flew over Tennyson's Sands.
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