Lapwings, Shelducks, Bewick and Whooper swans seen during visit to RSPB Minsmere nature reserve on a soggy overcast day - 7th February 2026

I went from London to Minsmere in Suffolk by coach on 7th February, which turned out to be a wet and dark day.  Sizewell C could be seen in the distance as I began my walk round the reserve.

The view across the lagoon from the East hide - it was misting with rain nearly all day!

There were lots of Lapwings and four Bewick swans in the distance

Synchronised dipping from the four Bewicks

Lots and lots of Lapwings on the spits of land in the lagoon

There were some horses on the land in front of a bird hide on the other side of the water

More birds on the zig-zag land in the lagoon - again mainly Lapwings, with a few Shelducks

Pair of Shelducks on the lagoon

Ringed Plover in the distance at the edge of a spit of land

Something had spooked the Lapwings and a large group of them took flight

Shelduck and a pair of Gadwalls on one of the little islands

Posing Shelduck

Eurasian Teal and Norther Shovelers on the lagoon in front of a viewpoint

Gadwall at the front and Teal at the back

A very distant Goosander

Round the other side of the lagoon I saw a Whooper swan from the Island Mere hide

A Mute swan was not pleased to the see the Whooper and came after it in an aggressive manner 

Blue Tit in the bushes near the Visitor Centre just before I had to go back to the coach

Two Blue Tits in the bushes before my journey back home

and a Great Tit too!

Minsmere is a great reserve - and especially would be on a nice day!!  It is  huge area and we only managed to walk round a small part of it during the few hours that we were there.

Birds and lots of water during my second visit to Leighton Moss nature reserve on 6th November 2025

Northern Shoveler seen from the Causeway hide

and a female and two male Gadwalls - also at the Causeway hide

This is the path leading to the Causeway hide - there had been a lot of rain during the few days I had been staying in the area and, although it was not raining during the day, I could only just manage to go along this path by gingerly walking along the side by the hedge.  I could not go any further towards the Lower hide as I was told there was a lot of 6" deep water further along the path and I was only equipped with waterproof shoes and not wellies!

As I could go no further along that path, I turned round and went to Lilian's hide

A flock of nine Whooper swans had just landed in the lagoon in front of the hide

There was a juvenile Whooper among the group, which had slightly disturbed the Coots

The Whoopers only stayed for a short time and were soon off somewhere else

I accidentally photographed a Marsh Harrier when I was taking pictures of the Whooper exit!

Oh dear - the path to the Grisedale and Tim Jackson hides was covered in really deep water!

and only suitable for people with waterproof boots/wellies or, alternatively, for these three Mallards, which were on their way there!

I back-tracked once again and climbed up the Skytower from where I saw a male Eurasian Teal

and a female - both with feathers blowing around in the wind

I had run out of places that I could reach without getting wet feet, so ended up in the bird feeder area near the Visitor Centre

Coat Tit and female Chaffinch on the feeder

Two Coal Tits

Female Bullfinch on the ground near the feeders

Greenfinch with seed in its beak

A Robin was checking out that its picture was included on the bird identification chart - it was!

I was joined by a very close Robin on the picnic table when I was eating my lunch

I had another look at the bird feeders, where I saw my first Marsh Tit

Back at Lilian's hide, there were three Snipe among the ducks at the edge of a little island

I was staying in the area especially to visit Leighton Moss and was annoyed with myself at not being better equipped for walking through deep water.  I just did not expect there to be so many places on the site that were prone to flooding.  Regardless of that, I did see some interesting birds - especially the Whooper swans and the Bullfinch - and just wish I was able to visit again in drier conditions.

Mid-March bird walk in Regents Park

On 13th March the sun was shining and, in the afternoon, I went for another walk in Regents Park.  I walked into the park from the entrance that is the nearest to Baker St underground station and, at the bridge that crosses the lake, I turned right to walk along the path that runs along the narrower part of the lake.  I had not gone far when I came across a family of Egyptian Geese - mum, dad and at least eight baby goslings.  It was hard to count them as they were running about all over the place.

This is a close-up of one of the Egyptian goslings with some lovely fluffy feathers.

Sitting under a nearby tree was a beautiful Whooper swan.

I like it's lovely yellow and black beak.

There was also a Moorhen running around on the grass in front of the yellow and white daffodils.

I went round to the other side of the lake and the Egyptian Goose family had wandered down to the water's edge.  In this photograph there are nine baby goslings - six on the bank and three in the water.

Mum was leading the goslings along the edge of the water with dad at the rear.  Suddenly he took off and flew across the water to my side of the lake.  Some people near me were feeding other birds and he had obviously decided to join in.

 As I walked along this side of the lake, I saw a Canada Goose standing near a single daffodil.

It was wandering around and this is a close-up photograph taken whilst it was standing in front of several bunches of daffodils.

I then wandered round the larger main part of the lake.  There I saw a female Pochard.

Also a Black-headed Gull with a speckled face.

For a change, a Great Crested Grebe was swimming fairly near to the edge of the water instead of being in the middle of the lake.  I managed to get a much closer shot of it in the sunlight.

The Great Crested Grebe kept diving and here it has surfaced with something, probably a small fish, in it's beak.  Unfortunately it came up behind a Black-headed Gull, so I have got it's back-view in the photograph too.

I also saw some male Pochards.  This is a photograph of one of the drakes with a beady red eye watching me.

I am not very good with action photos and this is the best I could do as this heron took off in front of me.  I like it's long dangly legs as they are just leaving the ground.

I walked all round the lake and, when I reached the other side, I came across this handsome Barnacle Goose.

Here the Barnacle Goose is doing the goose-step!

I also walked round the pond that is set in Regent's Park inner circle.  There I came across a pair of Black Swans.  The female is sitting on a poor excuse for a nest, with the male nearby keeping an eye on her.

The nest is very flat on the ground and does not contain many twigs.  I hope that they can do better than this!

Also in this area was a male Tufted Duck with a lovely bright yellow eye.  He definitely looks as though he is smiling!

I liked this rather military-looking Mallard drake standing to attention by the side of the tree.

 I love exotic-looking Mandarin ducks and was very pleased to find this couple.  The extraordinary-looking drake was in the water while his very beautiful partner was preening her feathers on the bank.

 What a very cute couple they make!  I love their very sweet-looking eyes.

Finally I came across a pair of fighting Moorhens - one was chasing the other all around the plants and in and out of the water.

Another great walk with lots of interesting wildlife.  I feel very lucky that there are several nearby parks in London so that I can easily get away from the traffic, have some exercise, see some wildlife, take lots of photographs and have a relaxing time.