Pennington Flash

A bracing couple of hours' stroll about Pennington Flash where both wind and water were very high and the overall impression was that the tide was coming in. The Flash itself was so rough most of the swans and geese were sat in the car park and even the goldeneyes had been driven close to shore.

Male goldeneye

The spit outside the Horrocks Hide was almost completely underwater, with a bunch of mallards and oystercatchers huddled on a tiny island. Further out (and difficult to photograph in the windy conditions) a striking sinensis cormorant stuck out amongst the others with its almost completely white head.

Cormorants
Phalacrocorx carbo carbo on the left, P.c.sinesnsis on the right.

The reeds and  islands in front of the Tom Edmondson Hide were entirely submerged. A small raft of tufted ducks on the water were torn between courtship display and having a nap. Most of the activity here was in the brambles where a large mixed tit flock, including a dozen long-tailed tits and a couple of willow tits, were bouncing round.

Tufted ducks

The ground in front of the Bunting Hide was entirely submerged, which didn't stop the reed buntings and blue tits having a go at the feeders.

Reed bunting