Nature Fowlmere RSPB Nature Reserve Above: preparation for Spring, a Weed Cutting machine clearing the channels. In this article, local birder Ade Cooper sets out his diary for the months of November, December and January. November – Colder temperatures and a northerly wind at the beginning of the month prompted a start to the migration of winter Thrushes. Tens of thousands were passing through southern England on the 4th. I wasn’t able to get to Fowlmere to see this, but watched from my back garden, where flocks of hundreds were seen in just a few minutes. It was good to hear the chacking of Fieldfares once again! The passage of Thrushes halted just after 09.00, and at the reserve in the afternoon I noted none had been grounded, there were just the site’s first 30 Fieldfares of the season and 40 Redwings going straight through. The Starling roost increased over the first few days, with around 2,500 coming in on the 5th, but just a week later the numbers unexpectedly reduced to almost nil. Three Gadwalls on the mere were joined by a female Gadwall on Ice
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Male Wigeon. all are first winter
Shoveler on the 5th, while there were 9 Snipe on the mere edge and also Water Rails coming out to show occasionally. Large numbers of Lesser Black-Backed Gulls were passing over at dusk to roost further north, with a Few Yellow-Legged and Herring Gulls in amongst them. A visitor reported a juvenile Marsh Harrier briefly over the reedbed on the 5th. In the morning of the 7th a newly arrived female Wigeon was on the mere with the Gadwalls and the Shoveler. More birds were seen flying over than on the reserve itself: Fieldfares and Redwings, Golden Plovers, a Raven, a Red Kite and a Cormorant. Later in the day I saw the first winter Goosander on the mere. It roosted overnight on the mere and was still present the next morning. By the 14th the Gadwall numbers had risen to 5, with the Shoveler still
