Tuesday 3rd February

Lovely day now, though it started with sleet showers it is now blue sky and almost warm. Driving through the reserve today I had a female yellowhammer feeding on the verge near Gruinart House. A rarity here and lovely to see. Over the moorland there were 4 ravens, while over the flats there was a ring-tailed hen harrier out hunting. I also saw a few large flocks of reed buntings, although I couldn't stop to count them unfortunately. Among the golden plover I saw one with a black belly, spring cant be far away! The resident mute swans are beginning to get agitated at the over-wintering mutes and whoopers and can be seen chasing them around the floods, trying to clear them out of their patch.