NEW HYTHE WED 8TH DECEMBER

The bad news is that the computer is sicker than we thought. It's not a terminal terminal but we still haven't got it back so i'm having to struggle along with the laptop, I don't know about you but I like a mouse, well it is a wildlife blog after all. Anyway, I did manage to get to the lakes this morning in what I thought was cold but nice conditions, so no hat needed today! I met Terry Laws down there who is fresh back from warm foreign climes, so he did need a hat. Terry had seen the Goosander by the time I got there but it had performed it's Houdini act when I looked, the early bird gets the early bird. I did however spot a Grey Wagtail, a couple of Snipe and a Chiffchaff along the Millstream before reaching the area where the Goosander had been. By far the most numerous bird was the Redwing with literally hundreds seen in all areas of the lakes, but surprisingly only one Fieldfare was noted. Just one Siskin too which was in the Alder tree next to the Streamside lake. Soon after, while scanning the lake from the diving area we were treated to a fly past by New Hythe's very own resident Whooper Swan which was later seen at the far end of the lake where the ducks get fed. We crossed the railway and stood at the corner of Abbey Meads in perfect time to see the Bittern fly lazily across the lake from west to east, looking superbly golden even in the dull light, I wonder if this could be due to it's post breeding moult which my book tells me is all finished in November or December. It crashed into the reeds and struck it's trademark , bolt upright skywatching pose before skulking away out of sight. Although I've often seen Bitterns at New Hythe this was easily the best sighting and it really made my day. Not much to be seen along the river because the tide was very high but a couple of Bullfinches called and showed a tantalising glimpse of their rumps as they disappeared into the bushes. And as we came along the sunken marsh path we disturbed a bird from the undergrowth and had a very fleeting glimpse of what could only have been a Woodcock. This had turned into a good mornings birding and to cap it off we finished with a flyover Green Sandpiper over the edge of Brooklands lake. The Slavonian Grebe however was a no show for the second day running, has it moved on, or is it playing hard to get? I didn't take any photo's today so i'm afraid you've got more Goosander, followed by a couple of Snipe from yesterday.