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Our seemingly now resident osprey was watched over the Manor fish farm again today, viewed well from Biggleswade common.Take the track from Biggleswade that leads along the river and the lakes can be viewed to the west ( A1), just on the other side of the bank. I flushed up 2 woodcock as I collected...

The osprey is definitley still here! It was seen on a couple of occasions around the reserve today, once coming into land in a tree along the path to Galley Hill, being mobbed by ravens. Crossbills have been seen around the hillfort and a brambling was watched from the hide.

It seems the osprey may still be in the area, we have heard from Steve Blain the Beds County Recorder that it was reported flying towards the reserve on two occasions on Sunday the 6th and it ( must be the same bird surely!) was spotted at Grafham Water on the 8th, so it's still happy hanging out...

It seems that the juvenile osprey has now decided to continue its migration as we haven't had any reports since the 4th November.This is the latest date for an osprey to be seen in Bedfordshire;the previous record was at Southill Park on 28 th October 1976 where up to four had been seen during the...

When an osprey was reported to us well over a week ago, we were quite amazed, but this juvenile is still being seen on a regular basis.even though we are now into November! It seems to use the trees around the hillfort on the reserve to perch in, making sorties down to the local fishing lakes where it...

Our feed The Birds event this weekend was a massive success and really drew in the crowds, the site was exceptionally busy all weekend and it was a fantastic weekend. On top of this, we had a fire at the back of Sandy Ridge on Sunday and six fire engines attended to deal with it.We had some great birds...

There have been a lot of really good bird sightings here today, topped by an osprey seen with a fish, flying over the hillfort. It was seen again over the gatehouse late afternoon. At least 20 crossbills have flown over with several lingering and the 6 woodlarks have again been around the new heath,...

Our warden, Andy Schofield, found a pied flycatcher on his walk down the drive at lunchtime today. It was amongst a roving flock of tits, so could be mobile. A good , late record for The Lodge.If you come along for a look for it, it will be in it's browny taupe plumage, not the bold black and white...

As migration kicks in and birds are on the move, strange sightings can be had.To prove this point, a lone juvenile gannet flew over the new heath on Saturday 9 and a ringtail ( female) harrier species flew over towards the main house on the 14th, both exceptionally rare birds at The Lodge.Another harrier...

We had some good birds over the weekend; at The Lodge Open Day we stood watching three hobbies diving over the house and the front garden and around twenty siskins around the bushes. The first fieldfares were spotted on the new heath on Saturday, where around a dozen sat in the dead larch tree. They...

A great sight this morning in the sunshine at The Lodge, 4 buzzards, a red kite and a sparrowhawk all soared together in the skies above the gatehouse shop.The sparrowhawk was first seen, bombing the red kite and generally giving it a hard time! Yesterday, 3 hobbies were seen in the air together,it will...

Over the weekend we took several groups out around different parts of the reserve. I was lucky that I took the walk to the hillfort, as we had fantastic views of two hobbies feeding directly above us. Just before they appeared , a small party of swallows had passed through, which had probably caught...

It's been exciting birding here today, the hobbies that we suspected of breeding on the new heath have been flying around with their young! It looks like at least three young, which is brilliant.They should be active over the next eight to ten days, so come up on a nice day to watch them before they...

Our warden, Andy Schofield, heard a woodlark on Sandy Ridge this morning. We had another report of one on land opposite the reserve entrance yesterday. A small flock of crossbills have been heard flying around, but they are rarely seen.Let's hope they stay and start to use the ponds near the hide...

After a quiet couple of weeks,more birds have been in evidence over the last couple of days. A massive flock of over 90 mistle thrushes has been flying into trees around the Gatehouse from nearby Sandy Ridge.This is a record count of these large thrushes at The Lodge-and quite possibly a Bedfordshire...

The lavender that runs along the path leading up to the shop is really drawing in some insect life. At least eight species of bees have been seen, white, buff and red tailed, common carder, early, garden and heath bumble bees and finally on the window plants a tree bee! A hummingbird hawk-moth skimmmed...

Five hobbies soared over the Gatehouse around lunchtime today, all in the air together which was a terrific sight.Over the weekend, one lucky visitor who was over from Australia caught a brief sight of a firecrest around the shop car-park.

Our spotted flycatchers are really busy preparing to bring up their young.If you come up this weekend, we'll be on the lawn beside the gatehouse shop to show you all of the action. We'll be around on Saturday morning and Sunday afternon to help show you the flycatchers going about their business...

There's some strange wet stuff falling out of the sky today! We haven't seen heavy rain for so long we'd almost forgotten it can happen! On the bird front, we've had several sightings of spotted flycatcher's around the Gatehouse. Last year they bred in a nestbox on top of the gardener's...

A scarce chaser dragonfly was recorded and photographed by Dave Mansfield.This is only the second record ever for The Lodge, so well done and thanks Dave. More sightings of spotted flycatchers this week, two or three have been noted in the woodland around the corner of Sandy Ridge ,near the drive...

Just a reminder that The Lodge Food Fayre that was scheduled for this weekend is regrettably cancelled.However, with the wisteria blossoming,cuckoo's calling, hobbies on the wing and The Lodge looking its very best in its spring finery, it will be a great weekend for a visit.

The country returned to work and school today and we've passed Easter, the Royal Wedding, a Dawn Chorus walk and a Bank Holiday with the sun shining throughout! It has been very blustery over the last few days however, but it is calm sunny and settled again now.Bird highlights over the holiday have...

Another day of blue skies, hot sunshine and lots of visitors.....just perfect! We have been watching a splendid male wheatear from the Easter bunny watch point on Sandy Ridge this afternoon.It must have arrived overnight as we didn't see him yesterday. It's a remarkable thought that it's...

It's been even more of a pleasure than usual to be working here over the Easter break. Families have been heading off and having fun doing both the Easter hunt and bunny trails and watching the rabbits and wildlife on Sandy heath ( although the hot weather has kept the rabbits below ground for most...

What a start to the day-just turning off the A1 into Sandy this morning and a flock of birds flew up beside the road. I could see straight away that they were Waxwings! I managed to park the car around the corner ( St Neots Road) and walked back with my binoculars to watch around twenty five of these...