Operation Crossbill

14th February 2026

We have had a lot of rain recently but none for two days, so time for Operation Crossbill at Mayday Farm. Mayday Farm is an active conifer forest managed by the Forestry Commission and therefore attractive to Crossbills, but also a huge site and therefore not always easy to find Crossbills apart from small flocks flying over. It is therefore necessary to find a focal point for the Crossbills - a puddle.

Crossbills feed almost exclusively on pine cone seeds which are very dry, and therefore they need to drink frequently. After heavy rain there are numerous puddles across the site so the Crossbills could be anywhere, but after two days without rain there are only a few puddles left and the Crossbills know where they are and will fly quite long distances to drink from them.

I headed straight to my favourite area and as a bonus could hear Crossbills chip-chipping high in the tops of the trees when I arrived. Unfortunately this situation is not ideal as the birds are sillouetted against a bright sky and sometimes in shade, the worst combination for photography, but I tried my luck. Most of the birds I managed to photograph were females.

They then decided they were getting thirsty and dropped down to a lower deciduous tree on the other side of the track in much better light, and on this occasion only males. This is part of the usual routine and the tree is used as a look-out point to ensure it is safe to drop down to the puddle.

Once the puddle was deemed to be safe they dropped down in twos and threes, the females coming direct from the conifers. Here are some shots of the females with the first shot acting like a reflection pool.

And then the males.

I included this shot just to prove they were actually drinking rather than just posing.

Well, what a fantastic day, and as Hannibal Smith of the A-Team would say "I love it when a plan comes together"!!!

Three Gunners Park Firsts

4th February 2026

After a superb morning at Two Tree Island on the rising tide, time for a quick visit to see what Gunners Park has to offer. The usual Redshank high tide roost was on the island on the lake, but difficult to photograph as it is a long line of birds on the top of the bank so can't get them all in.

Here are a couple of groups although today there were 100+ birds present, one of the highest counts I have seen here.

On the sea wall was a single Dunlin sitting on one of the breakwaters......................

....................and a number of Turnstones trying to find a morsel in the nooks and crannies of the pebble sea defences.

At the coastguard end of the beach was a massive flock of waders including Dunlins, Sanderlings and Ringed Plovers, and I would estimate the total number of birds to be conservatively 1000+.

Luckily the Ringed Plovers kept to the edge of the flock.

So what were my three Gunners Park firsts? Well the first was this rather confiding Knot perched on a breakwater very close to the sea wall. Of course there can be thousands of Knot in the estuary during the winter months, but this is the first one I have seen at Gunners Park.

Second was the 1st winter female Scaup which was quite obliging on the lake.

And the third and by far the most unexpected was this Kittiwake sitting on one of the posts by the jetty. I know they are sometimes seen flying past here, but the first one I have ever seen here and even better that it was perched, albeit into the light.

Wow, that will do nicely!!!

A Russian White-fronted Goose at Fowlmere

8th February 2026

On Saturday 7th February Ade Cooper found a Russian White-fronted Goose at Fowlmere feeding with about 30 Greylags in the field at the southern end of the bridleway that runs down the eastern boundary of the reserve. I was visiting the reserve on Sunday to see how the harriers were doing so stopped off at the gate to have a look, but no sign of the goose. As I made my way round to the Reed Bed Hide I could hear several geese on the mere so was fairly confident it would be there, but a quick scan soon proved that to be overly optimistic. Later on the whole flock flew off.

I spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon looking out for and photographing the female Marsh Harrier and when I looked back at the mere the Greylags had re-appeared and the White-front was amongst them, but typically by the furthest bank.

At that point they all decided to fly off again and I was able to grab some flight shots.

This shot shows the White-front is slightly smaller than a Greylag, but also has a mucher slighter build and much smaller head and bill.

Well that was a nice surprise.

Thank you Ade.