RXwildlife Sightings

With a cold red sun coming up over frosted levels, a variety of birds were radiating out from their reedbed roosts: Greenfinches, Redpolls and Reed Buntings were all on the move and a flock of 34 Stock Doves must have been coming from the newly-denuded Castle Water (…though I did notice on that photo a single willow which has been carelessly left).
With the water level kept low, the canal is a deep and muddy gulley, where Redshank were wading in the shallows and Teal gingerly testing the skin of ice on stiller parts. About 100 Teal were feeding there altogether. On the edge of the mud were 2 Grey Wagtails and - incongruously - a Green Woodpecker dropped in for some iced water.

The cold weather this morning concentrated good numbers of wildfowl on Castle Water, including 114 Gadwall, 100+ Wigeon, 96 Tufted Duck 45 Shoveler, 26 Teal, three Pochard and a splendid male Pintail. All of these were kept constantly on the move by an immature male Marsh Harrier which was quartering the reedbeds all morning.
On the Beach Reserve, a single Short-eared Owl was present on West Beach, while a Long-Eared Owl was roosting on the Narrow Pit. At Ternery Pool there was an obliging Water Rail in front of the Parkes Hide.

Water Rail swimming in front of Parkes Hide