Monday 23rd. January 2012 ( Part 1 )

With rain on the cards for all of tomorrow and another day hedgelaying on Wednesday , I set out for Sevenoaks Reserve in cool and cloudy conditions , which were forcasted to improve , which they didn't . I made my way straight to Willow Hide , as my usual , in the hope of another Bittern sighting . As I looked out of the hide , I could see much more machinery making much more noise , on the building site behind the reedbed favoured by the Bittern . Anyway , I settled in and kept watch . The water level seemed higher and there were few waterfowl on Snipe Bog Lake , but favourites like

 this male Shoveler got the shutter moving . The two adult and one juvenile Mute Swans also

performed in front of the hide , with one of the adults showing exactly what 'Swan upping' is all about . Whilst watching the reedbed , Grey Heron and Little Egret both emerged from the area , but no sign of the Bittern , too noisy now ? Just a couple of Tufted Ducks on Long Lake , but East Lake produced large numbers of Canada and Greylag Geese , I looked for the White-fronted that had been

reported , but did not find the bird . Amongst the other were two oddities , a white goose that I think turned up last year or the one before , and another that was definitely 'of doubtful origin' , showing

 bits of Canada , Greylag and possibly Brent in it's varied parentage . Down at the end of East Lake , a flock of 8 Rose-ringed Parakeets were noisily arguing over possession of a couple of nest holes .

Six flew off as I approached , but these two stayed at home . The 'Rose ring' , from which they get their name can be seen clearly on the neck of the male . No sign on any additions to the two Great Crested Grebe nests , do they know something ? Looking across to the Public Hide , two large shapes

on the roof turned out to be two Egyptian Geese , two of seven seen today . The Adler trees before reaching the Public Hide , contained a small flock of Siskins again , no Redpolls this time , but an

 unexpected Goldcrest , right at the top of the tree . The Egyptian Geese had moved on by the time I got to the hide , but on the nearest island with other species were several Wigeon , a species that

seems reluctant to come close to the shore here . With their favoured area again free from frost , the

Common Snipe were showing well again , though not quite in their previous numbers . I didn't see what caused it , but all of a sudden , all the Lapwings that were on the small islands , took off en

masse , and proceeded to fly together for about five minutes . This shot caught most of the birds , but there were a few stragglers as well . At the end of the five minutes , someone said 'down' , and back

onto the islands they returned , like a fall of snow . Heading off towards the other hides , I passed two

Carrion Crows who seemed to be in deep discussion . But whatever it was , it will have to wait till tomorrow , as with 54 species seen on the visit , tomorrow's post should be of interest to both birders and anglers .