NEW HYTHE GOLDFEST

 The drake Goldeneye  was still on Alders small lake this morning, looking very handsome in the bright conditions. It was just a shame that I couldn't get close enough for a picture.
Above Brooklands car park a Sparrowhawk circled slowly into the blue, harangued all the time by a flock of about twenty Goldfinches. The Hawk appeared indifferent to their attention but must have been frustrated to have breakfast flying so tantalisingly close. At Bucket Wood creek a Kingfisher skimmed the surface of the full river and landed briefly on an overhanging branch to show off his breakfast, a small silver fish held firmly in his bill. From the wood a single Common Snipe, two Lapwings, a pair of Gadwalls and a very vocal Redshank were the slightly meagre highlights.
The only highlight at Brooklands was this Goldcrest, who hovered and flitted among the dead, seed bearing plants in the SW corner of the lake. As with the Treecreepers in the previous post i've gone a bit over the top with my Box Brownie. But times are hard and days are mostly dark so i'm making the most of any opportunity.

I could only find one Red-head Smew on Abbey Mead lake, there could have been more but the lake is big, the birds are small and they are very good at 'disappearing' themselves. As are the New Hythe Bitterns this winter, another vigil at Streamside failed to produce one. But I did see a couple more Goldcrests there and another Treecreeper. Also sadly, a dead Gt Crested Grebe.
On the way back to the car park I watched a Kestrel hunting over the mound and added my 69th NH year species with a single Reed Bunting who called flatly and looked a bit lost I thought.