Whoopie - the road was clear...

Despite forecasts of a big freeze, access to the reserve today was the best its been since Monday with something of a thaw in the last 24hrs.  Probably all an irrelevance now given the forecast for the next 24 hours...Andrew Bulmer sent us this shot of the snows at Hempholme on Saturday:

Anyway despite this 7 whooper swans dropped in on the ice hole in D res found by John and Erich (details on Erich's blog here), where a drake pintail spent the day.  A snipe was flushed from the muddy margins of Barmston Drain along with an all too fleeting glimpse of a probable green sandpiper.  Water Rail on Watton yesterday seen by Tony McLean who has some nice new shots on his blog too here.  Plenty of car park siskins, woodcock was in evidence both at the wildlife centre, and by Tony Simpson on North Marsh, along with the male marsh harrier again.  Andrew also sent us this great range of snowy wildlife from Friday - Barn owl no doubt feeling the pinch:

Long tailed tits too also scraping a living from the res walls:

 

Fox probably having a fine time scavenging on the other hand:

Feeders topped up bringing down plenty of blue tits:

Great spotted woodpecker:

Goldfinches:

And lesser redpoll a nice highlight in the lagoon alders:

Followed by their other fans...

Unfortunately no sign of the ring-necked duck reported down river earlier today - plenty of tufties again on the river but it would seem selfish to disturb them when there is so little open water at present.  Thanks to Ivan Nethercoat for this shot of some of the thousands of wildfowl down river at the moment: