Middleton Nature Reserve (Malcolm)
Just a quick check of the two main ponds
Main Pond
Mute Swan pair + 1 immature
Gadwall 33
Mallard 5
Tufted Duck 1 - feeding amongst the Black-Headed gulls
Coot 2
Moorhen 4
"No swimming" pond
Teal 1 male flew off to the north
Mallard 6
Coot 1
Moorhen 1
Little Grebe 1
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| Little Grebe in winter plumage |
Grey Heron 1
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| Heron coming in to land |
Between the ponds
Goldfinch 14 feeding in the Alders
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| Goodfinch |
Bullfinch pair stripping the buds from the Blackthorn bushes.
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| Pink-Footed goose 14 south |
North shore (Malcolm)
I went down early in the ebbing tide, before the rain started, unfortunately the rain hadn't read the forecast and started early!
Pale-bellied Brent goose 26 arrived from the north in one flock and landed amongst the rocks to the north of the play area.
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| Brent flock arriving...... |
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| .......and landing to the north of the play area |
Eider 21
Red-breasted Merganser 7 at least
Teal 1 male (surly too much of a coincidence to be the one that flew from the "no swimming" pond earlier)
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| Teal |
All the regular waders present, but only 11 Knot.
The rain had stopped by the time I reached home, and contrary to the original forecasts it didn't rain agin!
