Smoke on the Water

Properly cold this morning, in fact so cold that I could not really see anything from the Tern hide when I opened up. The lake was smoking a reflection of the sharp difference in temperature between the cold air and still warm water. There were a fair number of meadow pipit and pied wagtail feeding around the shore and a steady flight northwards of starling indicate that they are roosting somewhere to the south, perhaps in Ringwood town, I don't think they are in the Ivy Lake reedbed, but I would need to check at dusk proper to be sure.

When I crossed to Ivy Lake the air was already warming in the sunshine, still the frost was still thick on the reeds and reedmace in front of the Ivy North hide.
Beside the paths the brambles were heavily frosted as flocks of small birds moved through them. The number so goldcrest around is especially striking, especially as last winter seemed to knock back number so much. I did hear one or two chiffchaff, although they will be moving on soon. Although they do winter at Blashford, the wintering birds do not seem to be the autumn ones staying on. Usually few if any can be found in November until the last days when the bird that stay the winter turn up.
At Ivy South I took another view, the last this year to have the tern rafts in, as the volunteer task today was to get them in, cleaned off and ashore for the winter. I was intending to get some shots of the work but I was in the boat all morning and never got the chance.
There was no sign of the garganey today, although there were many fewer teal today on Ivy Lake as well. I heard of no other birds of note and saw none myself. I did hear some redwing near the Centre, but the trees blocked them from view. There was also a calling Cetti's warbler by the pond next to the path leading to the Ivy South hide, my first there this winter.