Our weather is so unpredictable and it never ceases to amaze me how much one day can differ so much from the next. Yesterday the north wind blew snow showers across the moors and today the sky is clear blue with a warm sun beating down and barely a hint of wind. At Martinmere today it was a case of out with one season and in with another. The whooper swans have all but gone. Only forty birds remained today and very soon they will be gone too. I will miss them very much. On the mere good numbers of teal, pintail and shelduck could still be seen along with several ruff a lone cormorant and oystercatcher.

I didn’t linger at the mere and instead went in to the park to see if the Hawaiian geese had produced any cygnets yet. These birds are the earliest to breed at Martinmere each year. As I went into the section that houses the Hawaiian geese several adults came running up wanting to be fed. Luckily I had some seed in my bag so for a little while I enjoyed sitting in the sun hand feeding them whilst stroking their soft feathers with my thumbs, sheer magic.

Then they appeared, just how I had hoped they would. Out of the dense vegetation came three adults and four gosling Hawaiian geese, about four days old, all wanting to be fed. How could I possibly refuse them. The goslings are so beautiful. Now I know that spring is finally here. I watch and photograph them feeding as I do every year. I never tire of doing so.

 

Was also on the lookout for Moorhens on nests as they produce young very early too but was surprised not to see that many. Often they nest in the most open and ridiculous places but found none in all the usual spots. Another bird that I watched nest building was the tree sparrow. Not a widespread bird but they thrive at Martinmere with a good population taking advantage of the nest boxes provided. Today they could be heard chirruping everywhere and I watched several birds take nesting material into nest boxes.