Tuesday 7th. February 2012

Well , at least the car thermometer was reading above 0C as I pulled into the car park at Sevenoaks Reserve this morning , positively barmy after a previous visit at -5C . Mind you , there was still plenty of lying snow , and large areas of all the lakes were frozen over . The smaller lakes , like Snipe Bog Lake , only had a small area of open water to the left of the island , but there was little around using it .

Keeping the area open was helped greatly by the pair of Mute Swans , and a juvenile paddling around . Usually a good place for wildfowl , today , only only a pair of Mallard and two pair of

Gadwall , all four sleeping on the ice , were all that could be seen . The Coots were arguing as usual ,

and a Great-crested Grebe was having a good preening session , before it nodded off . It was looking as if it was going to be a non eventful day . Then , whilst I was watching a female Blackbird ,

fossicking for something to eat at the side of the path , another common species dropped down from the overhanging trees and began feeding on seed heads . It was a Goldfinch , but probably the most

confiding specimen that I have ever come across . As long as I kept my distance , I was able to follow the bird as it went about it's business , but I obviously got too near at one point , and that was the last I saw of it . The fields at the end of the East Lake contained , snow , not a single goose in sight . The West Lake wasn't very productive either , but it did contain 4 Little Grebe , 3 of them

heading away in line abreast when they caught sight of me . The second of two Kingfisher sightings was obtained near the bridge where the river Darenth leaves the lake . Close to the car park , Siskins

could be heard in the Alders , so I got the sun behind me and attempted a few shots . All was going well in the sunshine , listening to the Siskins , as they chatted constantly between themselves .

Trouble was , that all that chattering attracted another species , when a Sparrowhawk appeared out of nowhere , and the Siskins took evasive action . The walk around the other hides was very quiet , apart from more Siskins , or the same ones , in the Alders between the Public and Tower hides . No sign of the Goosanders at the far end today , nor of the Water Rail . The walk back to the car was equally quiet . A hot coffee , and I was off back to Willow hide . Although the reedbeds were now in full sun , the Bittern once again didn't show . The Grey Heron that had appeared since earlier , was

obviously feeling the cold from the look of it . Mind you , I don't think my feet were much warmer by this time . The only excitement at this second visit to Willow Hide was when a Sparrowhawk

crashed into the trees on the island , without catching it's prey , and for once , sat briefly before flying off . I forgot to mention them last visit , but in the fields behind Snipe Bog Lake , lambs are behaving

like young lambs do , quite bizarre , given the snow covering . And finally , a bracket fungus found on an Alder along the bank of the Darenth , Artist's Fungus / Ganoderma applanatum , not good news

for the Alder . On the way back home , the sky at the top of Polhill and Old London Road , towards Bromley , was almost grey with large flocks of Winter Thrushes .