Bowers Marsh amble November No. 2

 Bowers Marsh 2

Early 27th November we take another walk at Bowers Marsh, arriving at about 8-30 we wandered up the road from the gates toward the car park the frost was fairly hard on the verges, hedgerows and fields.

Reaching the car park area we saw birds fluttering back and forth from the bushes to the wooden fence and ditch, we cautiously approach the fence  and waited to see if these birds reappeared. Slowly they began to come back to the reeds, hedge and ditch, mainly female Reed Buntings would come fly down from their perches on the reeds and shrubs.

to feed on the grass seed heads along the ditch, we stood and watched them fly back and forth to feed for a while before moving on a bit further and managed to see Goldfinch, Robin and Chaffinch in the brambles along the pathway.

We decided we walk round to Great Pond following the path beside the reed beds hoping to catch site of more birds, we did see Stonechats flitting from bush to bush ahead of us but unable to capture a good photo, in the field to our left crows were on the search for food in the field.

As we rounded the corner across the field to the hedgerow we caught site of a pair of Pheasants sitting on a branch of a fallen tree and further along a fox about to disappear into the undergrowth.

We saw in the willow tree by the small pond Long Tailed Tits feeding high up in the branches so we made our way to the pond through the long grass and tried to keep hidden but alas they took flight, but not all was lost as Blue Tits were tearing away at the bullrushes in the pond.

We stayed a while hoping the Long Tailed Tits would return but no luck so we moved back to the path and headed on toward East Haven Lagoon, on our left in the meadow a Magpie was performing its hopping dance in search of a morsel in the grass and above a couple of Wood Pigeons flew past.

We turned right and carried on past the pic-nic area up to the flood gates of the Great pond, here we waited a while before heading back to the path which goes up to the Lagoon, 

arriving at the Lagoon we met three Birders looking through their scopes out across the lagoon, we exchanged pleasantries and spoke of what we had spotted so far, they pointed out the Lapwings and other waders at the far end of the Lagoon.

We waited and watched for a while and could see through my binoculars Avocet, Lapwings Gulls and other waders feeding in the water, we proceeded to go on our way back along the path to where the 4 paths meet and headed up the farm track to where the feeders are, along the way are the autumn berries 

Wild rose hips and in the undergrowth Fungi.

Further on are Sloe berries and the red berries of the Hawthorn, 

reaching the top of the track a gentleman is looking at the feeders through binoculars as we approach he tells us he is the person that keeps the feeders topped up and had spotted a Greater Spotted Woodpecker at the feeders when he arrived, he goes on his walk and we stay to see the Finches and Tits fly to and fro from bushes to feeders,

on we go again toward the car park skirting the field with the imprint of tyre tracks from a tractor, 

we follow the path and as we approach the cattle shed I notice sitting on the gate post a Kestrel turning its head one way and the another looking for a small bird or animal to catch.

We manage to fire off a few shots before he is disturbed and takes flight by a couple walking down the path toward it, All in all a very pleasant and fulfilling morning walk in bowers Marsh.