September - November

The teal numbers increased rapidly during the second week of September with over a hundred present by the 10th.  Very few mallard were recorded in this period but four shovelers were around. A kingfisher was also observed catching one of the many shrimps present in the ditches. On one day a greenshank was repeatedly circling the decoy, calling but it did not land. A little egret was seen on the decoy but was also recorded on the marsh during the very high tides. The moat, which had become fairly low over the summer, was once again filled by the tide. 

On the September 22nd, a short-eared owl was seen, flying by the Ramsbrook, while two buzzards perched on the nearby hedge.

A BTCV work-party on 20th October spent their most of their time cutting back brambles from around the dragonfly pool and from along some of the ditch edges.  During a further visit in October more vegetation was cut back and they removed several willow trees, which were starting to overshadow the butterfly glades.

The Friends of Group had a work party on the 22nd, when eight members were present. They cleared vegetation from in front of the pond hide, reproofed the timbers with preservative and made a woodshed to store wood and other sundry items. The cottage was cleaned and other tidying jobs were undertaken. When we arrived a little egret was there, with fifteen grey herons, all sheltering from the wind. They tolerated much of the noise but it got too much for them, when we started work on the pond hide.

Around mid-month, at least four buzzards were noticed on the marsh and a flock of about fifty linnets were feeding on sea aster seeds. Another short-eared owl was present on the 26th October. It was first noted on a fence post near the decoy but was later flying about the marsh looking for prey.

On the 1st November, fifty eight mallards, one teal and two tufted ducks were on the decoy pool, together with three little grebes. The kingfisher was seen on the moat. In the Ramsbrook, a large flock of about two hundred teals and at least fifty wigeons were present, before being flushed by a peregrine falcon. A small number of fieldfares and redwings were observed on the decoy, feeding on the hawthorn berries.

The fieldfare flock increased, over the coming week, to two hundred and twenty; arriving about an hour before dusk, probably to roost there. Out on the marsh, a spotted redshank roosted out the tide with at least three hundred redshanks. On the decoy pool, the ducks had increased to ninety teals, thirty two mallards, a shoveler and two tufted ducks. Just before dusk the female peregrine landed in the dead oak tree again. She may have been attracted by the fieldfares: she left just before dark. The bird feeders are now getting quite busy, mainly with tits but an increasing number of chaffinches and greenfinches and at least two great spotted woodpeckers are also using the free food supplied.

On the 12th November the teal numbers had increased to over three hundred and twenty, whilst mallards were up to forty two. Unfortunately, after all the heavy rain, the pond is at a very high level and the outflow pipe is blocked: consequently several of the paths around the decoy are flooded.

A  BTCV work-party, with some members of the FOPP, spent some time drain-rodding the outflow pipe and hoped the problem would be solved. Regrettably on the following visit by the BTCV work-party the drain was still blocked and the flooding continued to cover several paths. The original drain is now getting very old and it could be that things are more serious this time.

During the last week of November the decoy pond and the moat were frozen over and most of the ducks were forced to move into the Ramsbrook, which although partly frozen, still had running, open water. It was surprising that, in the very cold northerly winds, several grey herons came onto the decoy pond to roost during the day time: presumably they were taking shelter from the severe weather.

In the cold spell the bird feeders, like those at Pickering's Pasture, and elsewhere, were very busy, with many tits and finches feeding from the containers. However the feeders here were also visited by moorhens, pheasants and stock doves, picking up the spilt grain from below. The feeders were being emptied within two days, compared to the normal four to five days.

By the months end the general area of the decoy and marsh were looking like Siberia, with everywhere frozen and with a light covering of snow.