A Frozen Widewater Today, 1st March 2018
I made a drive through survey of the east end of Widewater Lagoon and briefly left the warmth of the car to observe the west end from the pathway above the mud bank. I returned quickly with my face stinging!
A large extent of the shallower south side of the lagoon had frozen, It was frozen right across the narrow length lying north of the car park. The Swans took flight to get over. A pair of Red Breasted Mergansers flew in to the east end but soon departed. Presumably not enough open water for them.
In various water-side places above the ice and on waterside structures at the foot of gardens I counted at least 30 Dunlin. Also present in the area which I could see were a dozen Teal, 4 Redshank and 2 Ringed Plovers.
Alan Kitson reckoned it was the most ice he had seen in the lagoon since 1963.
In our front garden the bountiful crop of red berries on the Cottoneaster, which had remarkably remained for so long, are now being devoured by Blackbirds.