Little Marlow on an Icy Morning

I thought it would be worth taking a look at Little Marlow given the icy conditions.  It was indeed 90% covered in ice and at first it looked fairly deserted but then I noticed a group of Ducks and Grebes close to the island where the water had not frozen.  There were also more along the front edge of the sand spit and as I walked around I found more Ducks and Grebes close to the north bank. There were a good number of Teal on view with just over 150, plus over 50 Shoveler, the icy conditions making counting easier. The breeding Herons and Cormorants seemed unperturbed by the ice.

I continued around the lake and heard Redwings and a Water Rail and then came across several groups of Siskins.  However the best best sighting was of two Golden Plover that flew overhead as I walked along the footpath to the north of the lake.  If they had not called fairly loudly I would not have seen them.

Grey Herons at their nests on the two islands to the west of the lake.  There appears to be about six nests so far.  In front of them the lake is iced over.

I came across three flocks of Siskins, all feeding in Alders around the lake.  Difficult to count but maybe 30 in all, although double counting is a possibility.

Black-headed Gulls resting on the ice.  In the centre is "Yellow 2TSX".  It was ringed at Pitsea Landfill site in Essex on 12th March 2017.  Then no more sightings until 22nd Dec 2018 and 31st Jan 2019 when seen at Little Marlow GP.

Herring Gull - With colour ring "Yellow 4F7B".  Ringed at Daneshill Landfill Site on 20 Feb 2012.  Interesting to see that it was seen at Sheringham in Norfolk on 24th Jan 2019 and six days later at Little Marlow GP.  It was seen again at Little Marlow the following day and then no sightings until this one.