Box End Park WeBS: 12/02/2012

Except for a tiny puddle in front of the club house the lake was completely iced over. The saving grace was the river on the east side of the site which was flowing free. Highlight of the visit was a Snipe which I flushed from the east shore of the lake. Full counts as follows:

Black-headed Gull 2
Canada Goose 1
Cormorant 3
Grey Heron 1
Mallard 32
Moorhen 8
Mute Swan 2 Both carrying Orange Rings 384 and 744
Snipe 1
Sparrowhawk 1
Total number of species: 9 Individuals: 51

There were tracks in the snow around the pipe which links the lake and the river. I'm reasonably confident they were Otter tracks. There was also spraint on the top of one of the pipes and more tracks at the bottom of the ditch linking to the river.