Saturday 27th January

A visit between 8am and 9.30am today.

As I arrived a male Bullfinch called overhead and landed in scrub by the scrape showing very well against the morning frost. A Sparrowhawk flapped and glided past as I crossed the railway line to scan Abbey Mead.

Abbey Mead itself was quiet and I walked to the northern end of the lake using the path ajacent to the river. 2 more Bullfinch called along here and 2 Jay flew ahead. I spent 20 minutes or so looking across the sunken marsh where 10+ Reed Bunting fed together on the reed heads, a Bearded Tit called distantly. A Grey Wagtail called loudly as it bounded overhead towards Brooklands Lake.

On Brooklands the Ferruginous Duck showed extremely well in the middle of the lake with the full sun on it.