When you walk into the reeds at Radipole you are surrounded by lots of wildlife. At the moment there are huge gangs of long-tailed tit all over Radipole, their incessant 'ting ting' calls seeming to follow our visitors.

We caught a glimpse of the beautiful kingfisher up by the North Hide recently and there are large numbers of stonechat including a pair close to the newly cut squares of reed near the visitor centre.

As the weather changes you can expect to start catching glimpses of the elusive bittern skulking in the reeds. This secretive bird is very difficult to see and moves silently through reeds at the water's edge looking for fish. Its dependence on reedbeds and very small population make it a Red List species, one of the most threatened in the UK. The Cetti's warbler also likes to be close to wetlands. You may hear the loud bursts of song and see a dark, rather stocky bird with short wings and a full, rounded tail, diving for cover.

So if you fancy wrapping up warm and getting out of the house, get down to Radipole and into the reeds, but be careful, you're being watched!

Based on information supplied by .