Carlton Marsh, Oulton Broad.

Bright and crisp day for a walk round the reserve. With a year list now standing at 72.

The best bird was three GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER flying of between  Spatt's Water and Fisher Row. Also a very pale faced female MARSH HARRIER and also a COMMON BUZZARD. 5 GREY HERON and 8 SKYLARD over Peto's Marsh which was flooded. Here also a few LAPWING and a flock of STARLING about 60 birds. Large flock of PINK FOOTED GEESE well of over Bough St Peter which must have numbered in excesses of thousand birds. 2 GADWALL, 5 TEAL, 1 MALLARD, 2 REED BUNTING, WREN, ROBIN, GREAT TIT, BLUE TIT.

                                Also I heard the plop of a water vole heading into the drink.