Woke this morning to a couple of inches of snow. Duly had a lay in and then pottered downstairs to make breakfast and a cuppa for her indoors. Next door called to see why the curtains were still drawn and once we had explained we decided to drag the kids out of bed and off we went to Brandon Marshes. I can't believe it was October that I was last there!
We started with lunch as usual. Due to the cold weather, the tearoom was eerily quiet; there was a rather daunting pool of water to navigate on Brandon Lane which may have deterred a few people. Soup and baguettes consumed, off we set to squelch out way round the reserve - or so we thought. We agreed that we would just take in East Marsh and Carlton Hides but the path to these was under water and impassible. Off we trotted to Wright Hide instead. On the way we came across a mixed flock which initially appeared to be finches. They turned out to be Redpoll and Siskin. 
Quite a few birds were spotted out on East Marsh Pool, although most of the scrape was underwater. It was nice to see so many Snipe.
Even our shortened circular walk was revised as the path became very muddy as we came out of New Hare Covert. A quick detour and back to the Visitor Centre for hot drinks and cakes - well I didn't like to say no, the girls were cold.
Our sightings today (38) included: feral pigeon, blackbird, magpie, chaffinch, blue tit, great tit, dunnock, reed bunting, coal tit, long tailed tit, bullfinch, greenfinch, goldfinch, nuthatch, house sparrow, robin, woodpigeon, carrion crow, goldcrest, mallard, coot, tufted duck, moorhen, siskin, redpoll, cormorant, canada goose, snipe, gadwall, teal, shelduck, black headed gull, shoveler, greylag goose, mute swan, pheasant, kestrel and great spotted woodpecker.
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