With shallow flooding at times during December, the marshes started attracting in some birds, with peak counts of 53 black-headed gulls, 37 mallard and three herring gulls. After more or less vanishing during an icy spell in November, snipe numbers built up once more to 21, though this is still a low figure for late December. Little grebe numbers also remain stubbornly low; the highest count so far this winter has only been three.
It is now four months since the parakeet took up residence on the old railway embankment, and it seems to be getting much more used to humans. It was difficult to catch even a glimpse of the bright green bird when camouflaged by foliage, but now it can be easily be seen sitting on the bare branches of its favourite poplar, totally ignoring passers-by.