BOC New Year Walk: Moor Green Lakes, 6th January 2022

I was joined by five others on a cold morning at the car park at Moor Green Lakes, having already left two cars at our Horseshoe Lake destination. With the temperature at -4oC, we were well wrapped up and keen to see if the weather had brought in anything new. The feeders in the car park had attracted a Reed Bunting and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. On the first lake, Colebrook North, three Little Grebe were constantly diving around a tight group of five Wigeon, no doubt feeding on scraps they were disturbing. Bill found a Snipe half hidden in the lakeside vegetation and a Little Egret was at the far end. East Fen was half frozen but a fine male Sparrowhawk was perched in a Silver Birch nearby. Around 20 Siskin were feeding high up in the alders near the main hide.

At the river, we walked west to view the New Workings, where there were some Redwing and a flock of about ten Linnet, but very few ducks. Retracing our steps, Elaine glimpsed a Kingfisher flying ahead of us along the river. At Grove Lake, we managed to see one of the Tawny Owl that regularly roost at the top of an ivy-covered tree, adjusting our positions to get views of different parts of the bird as it was so well hidden. Treecreeper and Goldcrest were also seen in this area and six Goosander were on the lake.

We took the path around the north side of Horseshoe Lake as it offers a better view of the lake which held Gadwall, Wigeon and Tufted Duck. The flock of feral Barnacle Geese were in a paddock behind a hedge with some Canada Geese, and we were surprised to hear the deep croak of a Raven and were lucky to see it – a bird that is only occasionally seen in the area. As we approached the car park, we encountered our final species, Egyptian Goose, just in time as it was starting to feel like lunchtime!

Robert Godden