Blashford Lakes - 12th January

The weather was sunny! Highlights were Goosander, Black-necked Grebe and Ruddy Ducks.

12 of us met in the car park and watched the birds at the feeders for a short while. They are very tame here and the feeders are at the edge of the car park giving great views of the birds. There were many Siskin, Chaffinches, Great Tit, Blue Tit and a Robin. We set off to the first hide where a Bittern had been regularly seen in the reeds in front of it. We arrived to a crowded hide and no Bittern. However, we did see Gadwall, Mallard, Shoveler and Tufted Ducks on the Ivy Lake.
We went across the reserve and over the road to the new hides overlooking Ibsley Water. The nearer hide, Goosander Hide, had loads of birds on the water in front of it. Gadwall, Teal, Wigeon, Mallard, Coot, Little Grebe and Great-crested Grebe. After a short while we spotted some Goosander sitting on the end of a peninsular and then Lyz and Dennis found a Black-necked Grebe and some Pochard. On an island were several Cormorants standing out to dry and on the far bank was a group of Canada Geese and a group of Grey-lag Geese. By going through the ducks for a while we picked out some Ruddy Ducks – a group of 3 females and a few Goldeneye, including a male. We walked up to the farther hide, Lapwing Hide. Lots of birds here too and much the same as from Goosander Hide. However, we also saw a few male Ruddy Duck and many hundreds of gulls on the water, mostly Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed.
Simon Curson