Monday 2nd January: Swanbourne Lake, Arundel and The Burgh

 Another dry day, so we thought we’d make the most of it with another day out with Sue Miles. We again repeated an enjoyable early January outing from last year, and arranged to meet at Swanbourne Lake in Arundel at 8.30AM. On the lake were typical freshwater ducks, amongst them Pochard and Gadwall, both new additions to the year list. Several cotton puff Little Grebes bobbed and dived repeatedly and there were plenty of Moorhen and  Coot adding to the melee. Good numbers of gulls were also present, including our first Common Gull for the year.

At the far end of the lake we searched for our target species of Mandarin Duck. These were not massively co-operative, skulking in the dark branches overhanging the lakeside, but we eventually managed reasonable views as they crossed a patch of sunlit water. 

In the distance we spotted the rufous back of a resting Kestrel, and amongst the nearby ivy clad trees we found a Firecrest which flitted high above our heads making viewing difficult. Fortunately further along the track we managed to locate a  much nearer bird giving excellent views of the white supercilium and black eye stripe alongside the orange-flamed crest. A stunner!

Next we moved away from the lake and followed a path tracing a small wet copse alongside the WWT centre. A Wren foraged among the low branches and poured out its loud trilling song. At the end of the path a Water Rail was quietly feeding in a narrow ditch and in some trees lining the fields a Mistle Thrush stood guard on its own patch of mistletoe. 

Mistle Thrush

We continued from here up to The Burgh, but after a very successful morning this was disappointing on the bird front, although it was a lovely walk in glorious sunshine. Raptors were plentiful, especially Red Kites but we barely encountered any farmland birds in the hedgerows and a couple of Grey Partridge were the best we could muster. Of course, on our return home, reports came in of four Short-eared Owls in the area! Extremely annoying, we had perhaps departed too early.