Last night was a beautifully clear night spangial with a myriad stars. It was planets I was interested, though, especially Mars. Mars was in opposition to the sun and, therefore, at its brightest. The first of my planets to appear, as usual, was Venus, the Evening Star rising last night in the south. This was soon followed by Jupiter high in the sky slightly to the east but almost directly overhead. Through binoculars it was possible to see some of the planet's moons. Lower in the sky to the north east was mars, bright and through binoculars with a definite red glow to it. Slightly east of Venus, if I used my imagination was saturn. In a few days (21st January) we arrive at the date when all the planets are in line. I don't suppose we shall see all of them without an astronomical telescope but at least 5 should be seen with binoculars. We just need clear skies. I find looking at the night sky fascinating; the distances involved are beyond comprehension.
This morning Brian picked us up at 9.00 for a day's birdwatching at Gibraltar Point Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust's nature reserve, in fact the first designated nature reserve in the country. I have a long association with 'Gib'. When my parents first bought a car around 1960 we used to drive across the Wolds to visit at weekends and my brother and I loved climbing and jumping down the sand dunes. It would be frowned on today and, if we knew it, was then. Whilst in the 6th form I stayed there for biology field trips and have many times taken school pupils here for residential and day visits. I have also visited countless times for birdwatching over the last 60 years.
We arrived today at 10.00 am just in time for the cafe opening for Biran's obligatory coffee. Once refreshed we set ot for the roadside hides, calling in first at the plantaion feeding station. This has been revamped since our last visit and now boasts a drinking pool along with a selection of perches for photography. There was a fair amount of activity and I managed a few photos despite the poor light. Next it was off to Jackson's Marsh Hide. There were plenty of birds on the lagoon and marsh. A little egret feeding in front of the hide allowed for some reasonable photography. Curlew and wigeon were bot calling; so evocative. Brent geese were present and kept wheeling into the sky with their usual deep, grumbling calls. Earlier, a skein of pink-footed geese had flown over, their contact calls reminiscent of a distant pack of yelping hounds.
From the next hide, Hardy's we had superb views of a hunting marsh harrier, hovering, moth-like, just above the reeds. Water levels were high in the Mere Hide on the freshwater marsh and a little grebe of dabchick gave exceptional close views as it fished for sticklebacks. By now it was time to wander back across the marsh to the visitor centre and the warmth of the cafe for lunch. Afterwards, there was just time to walk down the Lill's Hut and the Wash observation point. Here we had good views of grey seals, hauled out and resting on the banks of the Haven. A solitary roe deer was also out on the marsh.
It had been a raw, cold day, but an excellent one with 39 species. One to look back on whene we are here in shorts and T-shirts in the summer.
Blackbird
Chaffinch
Goldfinches
Little Egret
Little Egret
Little Egret
Little Egret
Little Grebe
Little Grebe
Little Grebe
Little Grebe
