Jackdaws, Jack Snipe and Ibis

Again, very cold but not freezing overnight. A dry cloudy day and slightly warmer. A light north breeze.

Howard took this lovely shot of a Lapwing on the Near Naze, earlier in the week.

South Shore - high water 10:10 (MD)

Pale-bellied Brent goose 10 on Red Nab

Shelduck and Wigeon similar to yesterday.

No sign of the yellow ringed Cormorant on the wooden jetty, but this immature Shag was showing well on the first section of the Jetty.

A Grey Heron was also on the jetty.

Rock Pipit 2 (sea wall and lighthouse)

Imperial Rd (MD)

I went in the field to the west to see if I could locate the Ibis roost from the high ground next to the recycling centre this evening.

Jackdaws were constantly passing overhead to join the roost near Middleton Village (more on these later). No Stock Doves passed over so wherever the roosting birds are arriving from it isn't this direction.

Buzzard 1

Meadow Pipit 1

Jack Snipe 1 - flushed from the low lying waterlogged field.

Glossy Ibis 1 - 16:18 it had left the feeding area near the horse paddock and started off west, it did cross into the southern section of Middleton Nature Reserve before doubling back and flying into the Business Park. Unfortunately I could only glimpse it skimming over the trees, so couldn't see where it ended up (reinforcements tomorrow so we may do better)

Interestingly, it lifted all the Jackdaws from their roost. A Heron had flown a similar path a few minutes earlier without bothering the Jackdaws. 

There were over 300 Jackdaw, I took this clip by just roughly pointing the camera at them while I scanned the horizon to see if the Ibis would reemerge.

Roe Deer 2 female, the smaller one probably immature.

Just out of the recording area - Middleton Parish Hall (MD)

The Glossy Ibis was feeding in the field next to the horse paddock behind the hall this evening. The standing water is still frozen, but there is enough thawed around the edges for the Ibis to wash its worms. It was having no difficulty in catching them, it caught 4 in just over a minute. I've had to condense the first clip slightly to make the file small enough to upload. You can hear the Jackdaw roost already gathering.

How many does it eat in a day!