Just a reminder, Christmas Day is the one day of the year we do not open, so the car parks, Education Centre and bird hides will remain closed tomorrow. Normal service however will resume on Boxing Day and in addition on New Years Day the Pop-up Café will again be back in the Education Centre, so you will be able to fuel up with a hot drink and homemade cakes and savouries as you begin a new bird list for 2019.
We have had no further reports of the white-tailed eagle but the bittern is still showing very nicely at times in the reed bed in front of Ivy North Hide, thanks to Lyn Miller for sending in this photo:
Bittern by Lyn Miller
Marsh harrier, Water pipit and Caspian gull have also all been reported on Ibsley Water today, seen from Tern Hide.
I have been enjoying the flock of linnets that have been feeding in front of Tern Hide and resting in the nearby willows, I reached a count of 73 this morning before one flew and the others followed. They’re a very lovely sight to see when opening up the reserve!
Merry Christmas!
Linnets by Tern Hide
Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve 
New Years Day sorted then ;-). Merry Christmas to you all and love your blogs. Looking forward to more in 2019 x
Thank you Gail! We’re really pleased you enjoy following the blog and I’m sure Bob, Nigel and Christine will be delighted to see you on New Years Day! Thanks again, Tracy 🙂
Happy Christmas to you all too! I’m down in Cornwall where it is grey and drizzly but very mild. It is at least saving on bird seed. See you all in 2019.
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Thank you Caroline 🙂 , I hope Cornwall gets a little brighter for you! See you soon!
I too photographed the Linnets by Tern Hide but on reviewing the images I wonder if there are a couple of Twite in the flock – Twite can often be seen with Linnet, eg at Normandy and Pennington Lagoon. I posted the images on a couple of birding websites and opinion was divided. Any views?
I have not seen these images, could you tell me where you have posted them? I heard a second or third-hand report of possible twite but my efforts to see one in this flock have failed. They are properly rare birds in Hampshire these days and have always been rare inland in winter, so adding it to the Blashford list would be great.
Hi Niall, thanks for your comments. Another visitor today did think they were a flock of Twite. I thought they were Linnets and thought large numbers of Twite unlikely, but your thoughts of one or two Twite in the mix seems more plausible. I don’t think I could tell the two apart, so will let Bob stare at the flock again in more detail! If you could share where you have posted your photos that would be great, thank you 🙂