22nd March - rain until early pm, then brighter with showers, fresh SW, 8C

A cold feeling day and wet, but not too bad and with a short gap in lambing I visited Stanford reservoir after lunch.  The water has now been taken down and will remain low for several months now, as you can see here.

The area is looking very good for waders, and with spring migration beginning my hopes are high for some good species.  Today there was 7 Little-ringed Plovers, a Lapwing pair, a Green Sandpiper, a Dunlin and Oystercatcher.

The Long-tailed Duck, 6 Goosander, Goldeneye, ~150 Wigeon and 8 Shoveler were in the deeper water area, all will soon be moving on for breeding.  19 Little Egret and a couple of Grey Heron feed around the inlet area.   In the bordering bushes/trees a Chiffchaff was singing, several Long-tailed Tit were roaming, a Jay made its way back to the wood.  A mixed flock of ~60 Fieldfare, ~20 Starling and 1 Redwing was resting in the tree tops.

Some fruiting mushrooms were poking up through the vegetation.