8:30am-1030- the early morning rain had just cleared,it was mainly bright,with a light southwest,mild.
It was nice to get out after yesterdays strong winds and heavy rain.I first looked at BROOKLAND lake which held - Tufted Duck 35,Coot 18,Heron 1 and Cormorant 2,I also had a glimps of a bird flying low over the lake which I felt sure must have been a Common Sandpiper.Moving on past the Sunken marsh 30 Fieldfare flew up from the Hawthorns (the most I have seen so far this autumn) a few Redwing,Chaffinch and Bullfinch were also in evidence in this area.A quick look at the RIVER which was nearly full,produced 18 Teal,4 Mallard and 1 Tufted Duck.ABBEY MEAD still holds a good number of Coot,at least 130,also noted - Tufted Duck 70,Pochard 8,Shoveler 6,G C Grebe 4 and little 1.A small flock of Goldfinch was feeding on Thistle heads along the southern bank and both Green Woodpecker and Great were heard.In the east scrub the foraging flock consisted of Great,Blue,L T Tits and Chaffinches.A Grey Wagtail flew over,1 Song Thrush was seen and as I walked over to Johnson`s lake 20 Redwing passed over.JOHNSONS LAKE - Pochard 2,Shoveler 2,Tufted Duck 16,Mallard 4, Coot 20,G C Grebe 2 and Kingfisher 1.A combined total for LITTLE TESCO and the main lake consisted of Coot 150,Tufted Duck 58,Gadwall 16 and Mallard 8.The STREAM SIDE lake totals were - Tufted Duck 25,Gadwall 14,Shoveler 8,Cormorant 14,G C Grebe 4 and Little 1.As I walked back along the Mill stream path to the car park a Chiffchaff called from the Buddleia scrub.

New Hythe,November 15th,1981. .Adult male and ringtail Harrier seen in the New Hythe/Burham marsh area.During the period from 1978 - to the mid-1980s,this bird was an annual visitor.The records were of mainly single ringtails but adult or near adult males were recorded on the following dates - February 25th 1979,November 15th 1981 and December 30th 1981,the latest date for departure being March 30th 1985.