SWT Lackford Lakes

First trip of the year to the Suffolk Wildlife Trust nature reserve known as Lackford Lakes. 2nd January 2025, glorious sunny day, first such of the year and the first for quite some time.

Nuthatch, Sitta europaea on *the* log at Lackford Lakes
Nuthatch, Sitta europaea on *the* log at Lackford Lakes
One of several Marsh Tit picking at titbits on the Lackford Log
One of several Marsh Tit, Poecile palustris, that were picking at titbits on the Lackford Log, bird seeds and bird fat placed deliberately by birders and toggers.
Blue Tit on thorny branch
Blue Tit on thorny branch
Great Tit, Parus major
Great Tit, Parus major. Should be known as the Black-masked Gold Tit, I reckon

Having seen four raptors on the journey there – Buzzard, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Red Kite – a trek through the reserve to see what we could see then gave us:

      1. Blackbird
      2. Black-headed Gull
      3. Blue Tit
      4. Buzzard
      5. Canada Goose
      6. Chaffinch
      7. Cormorant
      8. Coal Tit
      9. Coot
      10. Dunnock
      11. Egyptian Goose
      12. Gadwall
      13. Great Tit
      14. Great White Egret
      15. Greenfinch
      16. Greylag Goose
      17. Grey Heron
      18. Kestrel
      19. Lapwing
      20. Little Egret
      21. Long-tailed Tit
      22. Mallard
      23. Marsh Tit
      24. Moorhen
      25. Mute Swan
      26. Nuthatch
      27. Pheasant
      28. Pochard
      29. Red Kite
      30. Robin
      31. Siskin
      32. Snipe
      33. Song Thrush
      34. Sparrowhawk
      35. Teal
      36. Treecreeper
      37. Tufted Duck
      38. Wigeon
      39. Wood Pigeon

There was also a very odd looking bird being harried by a Blackbird in a tree. It was probably a juvenile Blackbird, but it seemed to have a rufous bib and a very pale, speckled breast for a brief second I imagined it might be an Asian vagrant in the form of a Red-throated Thrush. But, very, very doubtful.

2nd January 2025 was also our first outdoor picnic of the year! Is an indoor picnic an oxymoron?