202402 - Hanningfield
WILDLIFE: Thursday 8 February 2024; Visit to Essex Wildlife Trust Hanningfield Reservoir
Well despite the awful weather everyone was game for a visit to Hanningfield Reservoir, well done. We started out in the visitor centre cafe looking at the vast amount of birds on the feeders, ducks & squirrels. The huge windows give a good view across the water when it is not so misty.
We set ourselves up with a drink and snack ready to step outside if it stopped raining. It was very entertaining watching the squirrels do death defying acts to get at some of the bird feeders, sadly no luck.
The rain did eventually ease off enough for us to step outside and visit the first hide where we spied a grey wagtail at the waters edge.
We then returned to the cafe passing all the Toad of Toad Hall characters and a field of Brent Geese in the misty distance. From there some of us went home leaving 3 behind to have lunch.
Our sightings were: Blue tits, lots, Great tits, Tree creepers, Dunnock, Mallards, Cormorants, Robins, Goosander, Gt Crested Grebe, Long Tailed tit, Squirrels, Golden Eye - 2 male 2 female - Little Grebes (3).
Thank you all for turning up and proving we are not just "Fair Weather Wildlife Watchers"
Keep well and best wishes Janet
PS. I look forward to news of your wanderings for next two months!!
Click on a picture below to see it full-size with more details.
