30/01/2013 Moore Natutre Reserve


Lesser Redpoll: Moore Natutre Reserve can be very hit or miss and today for me Moore was a hit. My first stop was the feeding station where there were Reed Bunting, Greater Spotted Woodies and the usual suspects showing.
 
I then headed down to the phoenix hide to see if Moore's Smew was still around, I got there and was told I had just missed the Bittern that had been showing really well before flying across the eastern reedbed, GUTTED!!!! Oh well...

I carried on back to pumphouse pool as thats were the Smew was and came upon two Redpoll feeding in the Alders and saw the female Smew too.
I had met a few nice people here today too which made the trip that more enjoyable, despite the rain and strong winds, Alan and Chris, fellow photographers and very freindly and a guy from Dunham Massy - a voulnteer there who was very chatty and saw his first ever Smew! Brilliant.
Other highlights of the day included two Goldeneye on birchwood pool with the stunning male proforming it's weird courtship dance where he throws it's head back and calls. Siskin singing and feeding near pumphouse pools far hide and a Mash Tit showing on the feeders when I checked on the way out.



AND TO TOP OFF THE DAY I FOUND THAT TWO OF MY  PHOTOGRAPHS HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED IN MOORE NATUTRE RESERVE'S NEW LEAFLET - OK I know its only a local natutre reserve leflet but it was a nice suprise