First impressions

It's been a long ten weeks since I last visited the old Island Mere Hide, so it was with much anticipation that I headed down to the new hide for a quick look yesterday. And I was not disappointed.

The hide looks absolutely superb as you approach up the ramp. This will be a great place to watch bearded tits from, though in my brief visit yesterday I didn't see any. Once you enter the hide, the first thing that strikes you is how light and airy it is. The old one, much as I loved it, was also so dark and cramped. The massive windows in the new hide give a superb view over the mere and the reedbed beyond, whether you are standing up or sitting down.

And there's another big difference too. Not only is the new hide fully accessible with wheelchairs and pushchairs, but there are no fixed benches for you struggle to climb over. Instead, we have a selection of benches and chairs that you can move into postion as required. Some of the chairs are not yet the final product, but these will be in place very soon. And don't worry, the hide floor is damped and sound-proofed, so unless you're really noisy the birds won't be disturbed. We tested it while i was in there. A colleague stood under the hide and the only notable noise was from a bench being dropped - not the sort of thing that usually happens.

You also quickly realise that you're further forward than before. This means the views of the mere are even better, and an old ditch to the right is now viewable too. There's still loads of open cut reed in front of the hide and along the edge of the mere where bitterns are likely to feed in spring. And although the hide looks taller, that's simply because it has more head room. You're actually stood at the same height as in the upper deck of the old hide. (Photographers, we are looking into ways to give you access below the hide for those low-level bittern shots - watch this space).

There's already been some good birds seen at Island Mere. While I was there we found a spotted redshank - probably one of the first records for Island Mere as they are usually on the Scrape or Levels. Six Bewick's swans were there today along with a black swan - another addition to Minsmere's list of exotic escapes in 2011. Two red kites and three buzzards were reported just before I arrived yesterday. And yes, bitterns and bearded tits have been seen too.

Elsewhere, a glossy ibis was photographed on West Scrape at lunchtime, but had gone by the time I had a look. There were more Bewick's on the Scrape, along with two dunlins, several black-tailed godwits and at dusk two Caspian and three yellow-legged gulls.

A waxwing flew south early this morning (16 were near Scotts Hall yesterday), and seven crossbills flew south over the car park. The starlings, however, seem to have moved elsewhere, with none seen tonight for the second evening running.

The approach to Island Mere Hide (photo by Adam Rowlands)