Another good day

Light SE breeze freshened slightly during the day. Some sunny spells in the morning but overcast with occasional drizzle by afternoon.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Report by Jean:

Vis

Pink-footed Goose 4750 north

Barnacle Goose 1 North

Fieldfare 10

Redwing 83 various directions, some heading E, others W, others dropping in to feed/roost

Mistle Thrush 1

Blackbird 26 some S,

Brambling 1

Chaffinch 4 SE

Siskin 3 lots heard SE

Pied Wagtail 1 SE

Jackdaw 4 S

Woodpigeon 16 SW

Snipe 2 dropped in from W

Goldfinch 1 SW

Reed Bunting 1 plus 3 dropped in and were ringed

Starling 20 S

Ringing - all new birds

Redwing 2

Blackbird 1

Reed Bunting 3

Goldcrest 1

Chiffchaff 1

Wren 1

Also on the reserve a flock of 25 Carrion Crows, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Cetti’s Warbler, Water Rail (2), Moorhen (2-3), Robin (3)

Pete also noted:

Common Darter - still hanging on, 1 along ringing road.

60+ Blackbird heading inland.

I had a quick check mid morning (MD)

Gadwall numbers now grown to 34

Little grebe 1

Mute Swan - this is interesting, well at least I think so, so you'll have to bear with me.

The two adults were on the peninsula of the main pond with their nine cygnets. Another adult flew in with a cygnet and landed in the middle of the pond. The "aggressive" resident male immediately flew over and chased off the adult (it has to be said the new adult didn't offer much resistance). Leaving the cygnet behind.

Then both the female and male headed towards the new cygnet, I assumed they were going to chase that off too. You can see the adult flying over at the start of the clip trying to get the cygnet to fly off. But the two adults just met up and reaffirmed their bond - the male not looking so aggressive now!

The cygnet just swam over and was readily accepted into the fold.

So this is the new family group of two adult plus ten cygnet 

This is in stark contrast to last year when the male constantly chased away the single cygnet that had survived from the other family. The third adult was now nowhere to be seen, but 45 minutes later the single cygnet was seen flying off to SW.

I didn't see anything else not already covered by Jean. I estimated c70 Redwing feeding around the east side of the reserve, most in golf course/Tradebe area.

North Shore

Pete manage a couple of quick checks from Knowlys Road.

Pale-bellied Brent goose 11 in skear corner, both on ebb and flood tide.

Common Scoter 1 juvenile, again seen both visits

Shag 1 juvenile feeding on south side of the skear on flood tide

Little Egret 10 on side of skear.

I had a walk out on the skear towards low water (MD)

The Shag was on Conger rock with a Cormorant at slack water, but as soon as the tide started moving, first the Cormorant then the Shag flew off to feed.

This is nice shot to compare profiles - Shag on the right

It didn't stay long after the Cormorant left. It did a bit of preening then had a yawn.

Great Crested Grebe 3

Red-breasted Merganser 6

Oystercatcher c1,000

Knot c250

c20 each, Turnstone, Redshank and Curlew 

Half Moon Bay

A couple of nice shots from Kevin Singleton 

Little Egret

Pied Wagtail