Cress Marsh

Very strange. As someone who has watched this site since its first set up, it seems odd that things seem to be going backwards.
Having seen godwits, spoonbills, red shank, LR plovers etc and now I find an egret a treat. Things seemed to turn when they did the pump and tilling/seeding of the site. Even the herons seem to be staying away. It would be interesting to know what aquatic life is present in the water. I remember watching an egret pulling out small silvery fish (?) out one after the other at one time. The peregrine did cause a few sudden evacuations, but surely this wouldn't have a lasting effect. Has the pumped in water been too fresh and diluted the nutrients, or is the presence of close industry just too much?
Hopefully it will pick up as the weather turns colder and winter visitors start using it.

Just wondered if anyone has any thoughts / theories as to why the Cress Marsh site appears to have difficulty in attracting bird species in large numbers (except for Gulls)?
There are large areas of shallow water, large expanses of exposed mud and some cover. The only problem being there aren't many birds! Would have thought we would have seen a selection of wading bird species in reasonable numbers by now....

Visit today, 1500-1600 Bright and breezy

Yellowhammer 2
Magpie 2
Little egret 1
Linnet c15
Gadwall 2
Mallard 1
Buzzard 2
Grey Lag geese 21
Gulls c20
Heron 1
Swallow 1

Kind regards
Martin

Visit today, 1400 - 1430, very strong N wind, rain threatened

Goldfinch c30
Little egret 3
Heron 3
Gadwall 9
Greenshank 1
Cormorant 1
LBB Gulls 12
Other gulls c20
Little grebe 2
Coot 3
Magpie 1
Swallow 1

Kind regards
Martin

Visit 1415 - 1515 today

Little Egret 1
Goldfinch 10
Greylag Goose c25
Herring Gull c25
Lesser Black-backed Gull c25
Great Black-backed Gull c25
Black-headed Gull c25
Cormorant 1
Wood Pigeon a few
Mallard 3
Carrion Crow 2
Coot 3 + 3
Grey Heron 6
Curlew 2
Buzzard 1
Reed bunting 2
Kestrel 1

Kind regards
Martin

Visit 1600 - 1715 today

Yellowhammer 1
Grey Lag Geese 31
Buzzard 1
Kestrel 1
Little Egret 4
Coot 3 includes 1 juv
Black-headed Gull c250
GBB Gull 1
LBB 7
Herring Gull 6
Common Gull c10
Lapwing 3

Regards
Martin