We only had time for a very brief walk around the park – so brief we didn’t even catch sight of a kingfisher. However, we were lucky to see a dipper on the River Frome opposite Fishponds Brook. It’s amazing to see this little chunky stout bird in the city when it normally inhabits the banks of fast-moving upland rivers. They are unique among passerines for their ability to dive and swim underwater and they have a characteristic bobbing motion when perched beside the water, giving them their name. This one did plenty of bobbing but only occasionally submerged its head below the water and never once foraged in the water – it must have considered that the water was flowing too strongly.

All around we could hear robins and caught sight of them regularly. I even saw two feeding close together on the ground. These two weren’t so fiercely territorial.

On the lake there was just one grey heron and, as I said, not a single kingfisher to be seen. There were plenty of cormorants in the trees above the lake and a great spotted woodpecker could be heard drumming nearby.

On Tawny Lake there was the tawny owl but, as usual, it was difficult to get a full view of it.

The snowdrops looked great in the sunshine and there were some lovely rusty reflections in the lake.

Click below for gallery of photos from this morning: