31st March 2014
A check of singing birds in the south side of Longham Lakes this morning proved highly productive. A Mistle Thrush was in the corner of Emily’s Wood, not singing but calling in alarm. Inside the wood a kerfuffle involving noisy Jays and Wrens turned out to be the communal mobbing of a Tawny Owl; their source of anguish was eventually flushed from the evergreen bush it was hiding in and gave superb views. The West Fields area, adjacent to the river, was marshy and providing cover for Snipe – I flushed at least 13 in all. At this same place a pair of Mandarin Duck flew over, the female calling – Samuel’s Wood should be a good place for them to nest, where there was, incidentally, a singing Nuthatch today. Just off the south-western extremity of Longham Reservoir South I was surprised to add to this impressive list by flushing a single Jack Snipe. Finally on the reservoir itself were 5 Gadwall, at least 4 Shelducks and 37 Mediterranean Gulls. (Dominic Couzens).
