Carsington Water Reserve

As we arrived at Carsington Water Reserve the weather was cold and grey with a light mist across the reservoir. There was very little breeze about which kept the cold at bay.

We set off from the car park to the nearby Sheep Wash bird hide. The mist over the reservoir made identifying birds at a distance a bit more difficult. Despite that we could clearly see a number of birds not too far away, including a lone peregrine falcon sitting on an exposed bank. Most of the nearer birds were lesser black-backed and blackheaded gulls, cormorants, tufted ducks, coot, wigeon and mute swan.

Lesser black-backed gulls

We left the hide and made our way back through the car park on a path that would eventually lead us to the visitors centre. As we neared the end of the car park we spotted a busy bird feeder. In a short space of time we saw coal tit, chaffinch, nuthatch, great tit, willow tit and jackdaws all taking a turn on the feeder. 

We then continued along the path, spotting blackbirds, bullfinch and raven being harassed by two crows. We stopped at a viewing screen adjacent to the path with another busy feeder station. We got very close views of the same species seen on the previous feeder and some tree sparrows and a nearby treecreeper.

Bullfinch

Coal tit

Nuthatch

It was interesting to see how they all seemed to take turns at the feeder in a very quick succession. The nuthatch was given the widest birth when it made it's entrance. None of the birds spent any time consuming the seed at the feeder, preferring to take them to a nearby perch for private consumption. The tapping noise of them feeding on the hard seed sounded rather like a great spotted woodpecker was in the neighbourhood. 

Willow tit

We then continued on along the path, occasionally looking over the reservoir as we progressed. We saw little grebe, teal, mallard, wigeon, Canada geese and great crested grebe. Along the hedgerow we spotted dunnock, robin, goldfinch, blue tit, magpie and mistle thrush.

We arrived at the visitors centre for hot refreshment and a well deserved warm up. As we sat enjoying the warmth we could see a busy feeder station outside in the courtyard. The visitors were mainly house sparrows but blue tits occasionally made a dash for it.

We left the visitors centre and made our way back along the path towards the car park. We stopped at the Wildlife Centre hide along the way. Not a great lot to see, another feeder station with the same species as we had seen before. A couple of jackdaws were doing their best to get something from the hanging feeders but were just too big and clumsy to gain anything. We had a very privileged view of them from behind the glass in the hide.  

Jackdaw

Redwing

We then left the hide and carried on along the path to the car park. We spotted another mistle thrush, a wren and some redwing along the way. Just as we were leaving in the car we saw what looked like a fieldfare but it was not a clear identification. A good number of species were recorded despite the cold and gloomy conditions.

The tally:  37 species

Carrion crow, cormorant, lesser black-backed gull, black headed gull, blackbird, peregrine falcon, tufted duck, coot, wigeon, mute swan, mallard, great crested grebe, jay, jackdaw, bullfinch, nuthatch, coal tit, great tit, wood pigeon, willow tit, goldfinch, dunnock, tree sparrow, raven, robin, treecreeper, blue tit, magpie, teal, little grebe, mistle thrush, Canada goose, house sparrow, lapwing, moorhen, wren and redwing.