A cold start this morning, minus 4c with a heavy frost, clear blue skies and no wind. The western pond was 95% frozen and the Eastern pond 80% frozen. After a walk round and arriving at the hide the first bird I saw was a Bittern out in the open on the edge of the reeds. It was preening and appeared to be enjoying the sun, it stayed out in the open for nearly 2 hours and then walked into the reeds and out of sight. This was the first Bittern I had seen on the Bolton down and only the second ever after 1 in flight last year. Whilst watching the Bittern a Water Rail walked across the ice in front of it and later the pair of Stonechats appeared. On the open water were 4 Goldeneye (1 drake), 114 Shoveler and a good count of 30 Tufted Duck. Full list:- Grey Heron 4, Bittern 1, Cormorant 1, Mute Swan 10, Grey Lag Goose 6, Little Grebe 1, Mallard 54, Teal 16, Gadwall 22, Shoveler 114, Tufted Duck 30, Pochard 11, Goldeneye 4, Goosander 3, Coot 87, Moorhen 1, Water Rail 1, Snipe 3, Black Headed Gull 86, Common Gull 8, Sparrowhawk 1, Stonechat pair, Green Woodpecker 1, Fieldfare c20, Redwing c10.
Later went onto Old Moor for the roost, I went to the Wader Scrape while Jeff went onto the Reedbeds. 2 Little Egrets came in and roosted on the Willow Pool along with 2 Cormorants, Goosander total was 45 with 13 on the Mere and 32 on the Wader Scrape. Also on the Mere were 4 Goldeneye ( 3 drakes) and 21 Pochard. Round at the Reedbeds/Themed Area there were at least 5 Water Rails.
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