CROYDON RSPB MEMBERS' GROUP - TRIP REPORT

To begin with, it seemed as though our visit to the Lee Valley after several days of severe frost and a dusting of snow was going to be a bit of a disappointment - most pits were pretty well frozen over, and so out of bounds to ducks and grebes, while those muddy patches that often attract waders were set as hard as concrete. The compensations soon became apparent, however : any areas of water remaining unfrozen were full of birds and the cold weather had driven some unusual visitors into the valley. And what's more, we didn't get our boots dirty!

Seventy Acres Lake proved to be almost completely ice-bound and, apart from the briefest glimpse of a water rail, little was to be seen in the reedbed below the windows of the Bittern Hide on its eastern edge. By contrast, the Old River Lea behind the hide was running strongly and had attracted several male and female goldeneyes and goosanders as well as the more regular gadwalls and tufted ducks. The North Metropolitan Pit was also frozen but this wasn't bothering the mixed flock of redpolls, siskins and goldfinches feeding in alders along its northern rim. All three woodpeckers were also detected hereabouts, although unfortunately the lesser spotted was only heard. Pressing on across a bridge over the railway line, we were presented with our best avian treat so far in 2001 - five waxwings at eye-level in an open bush-top only 20 metres away! Although these birds soon retreated a little to continue feeding on ornamental berries, they gave us all ample opportunities for scope views. Happy, we returned to Fishers Green Car Park with lunch in mind; refreshment was further delayed, however, by the news that a bittern had just flown in to land near the Bittern Hide. Rushing around to the hide, we soon found the bird crouching in the reeds with its back to us, immobile until a sparrowhawk swooping past induced it to raise its head and show its bill.

After hurried sandwiches, we took a walk northwards to Holyfield Lake. On the way, another water rail appeared and gave good views as it strolled along the waterline on the far bank of the river. In bushes nearby, a fieldfare was less wary than usual and allowed scrutiny from reasonable range. At the discharge from the lake, ducks gathered below the weir included wigeon, teal and five more pairs of goosanders. There was some open water on the lake and although this was far off, even from the Grebe Hide, one of our keen-eyed ladies soon picked out a male smew among the varied wildfowl crowded there. At least two male ruddy ducks were also present. The scene as we left the lake, with a fox trotting across snow-covered ice under a leaden sky, suggested a rather wilder setting than the English Home Counties. Heading south again, we followed the river on until we drew level with a series of bushy islets out in Seventy Acres Lake where long-eared owls were rumoured to be roosting. When telescopes were trained upon one particular island thought to be holding two birds, movement was soon detected, in spite of the gathering gloom. Vague half-imagined shapes finally took firm outline as one of the owls moved up onto exposed twigs and performed a few shuffles and stretches before departing soundlessly for a night's hunting.