There was ice on some of the lakes this morning and some of it lasted all day, something that does not happen every winter these days. So far the cold snap does not seem to have resulted in many birds arriving as it might later in the winter, but it has seen a distinct upturn in the number of birds visiting the feeders at the Woodland hide.
frosty leaves
At Ivy North hide recently water rail have been much in evidence and we were sent the picture below taken from there by John Hartley.
two water rail at Ivy North hide (by John Hartley)
Nobody seems to have seen the bittern for a couple of days, although great white egret was there today. I suspect the bittern might have moved a little to get access to open water as the reedbed by the hide is mostly frozen.
The gull roost this evening did show some signs of an effect of the cold snap in the form of an increase in the number of common gull, there were at least 60 this evening and I understand the ring-billed gull was seen again.
Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve 
Lovley picture of the Rails. Have only ever seen one once before at Minsmere!
The first image is really beautiful!