First sight of the moorhen and a single chick.

With a bit of luck the offspring will stay hidden in the reed and evade the attention of predators!

Early morning hoarfrost after a very cold night!

and one of our volunteers, wildlife photographer Luke Massey,  has included this photo of a heron on our site in his calendar for 2013 ….

For  more information and to see more of his excellent photographs, go to Luke’s website:            www.lmasseyimages.com

Just a few days after our AGM talk by Peter Antram , leader of the St Albans RSPB , Mamta from Luton reported a productive visit with her RSPB group …

Blackbird, blue tit, carrion crow, chaffinch, coot, dunnock, great spotted woodpecker, great tit, green woodpecker, jackdaw, jay, kingfisher, lesser redpoll, long tail tit, magpie, mallard, moorhen, ring-neck parakeet, robin, siskin, song thrush, wood pigeon, and wren

and all before 10.00 am  …. learner birders take note, make an early start!

19.01.2012

9 ring necked parakeets on site today.

They’re always there and few native species seems to worry them.

Until a sparrowhawk flew over that is, then they went into an extreme panic.

Not quite as dominant as we thought they were then. . . .

some fly-bys:

Thursday November 17th

and the marsh marigold is in flower.

Normally the first sign of spring, the continuing mild weather is responsible for the appearance of these yellow flowers in the mere.

and a recent contribution from Derrick Davies …..

‘you can’t blame it on the wasps’

these colourful and noisy creatures are becoming regular visitors. Love ‘em or loath ‘em…?

Here is a Grey wagtail picking through the mud on the edge of the spit when the water level was very low ten days ago (it’s since shot back up). It’s the first time I’ve seen one on the reserve. Not to be confused with the Yellow wagtail, which is much yellower than this!

Meg has spotted the kingfisher! It may be fuzzy, but unmistakeable resting on a suitable perch over the mere ……

and our old friends the parakeet and heron, keeping an eye on things….

and don’t forget … vote for us at

http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/1865

It’s a typically pleasant view, spot the heron….

In the willow top right:

 and lurking in the backwater……

Monday morning: new family makes the overland trip to see the willow sculpture

mallard starting to get in the mood for spring  …… the daffodil have appeared …..

a heron makes a fly-past ….

and the mallard takes a dive….