Overcast, but mild with a light variable breeze.
Middleton Nature Reserve main pond - Janet
Still two pairs of Shoveler
The male Mallards wouldn't leave this female alone
 |
| Cormorant |
Imperial Rd
I checked just after lunch - Malcolm
Water Rail 1 squealing
Mallard pair
No Stonechats seen.
Janet checked mid afternoon
Stonechat 1 male
North shore
Shag 1 off the skear - David Kaye
I checked the skear twice today (feeling fresh, well not as tiered, after not managing a walk yesterday) Malcolm
10:00 - 12:00
Mute Swan 1 immature flew north
Pale-bellied Brent goose 35. 8 seen flying to the fishing platform rocks where they joined others. Later all 35 flew back to feed around the skear.
Pink-Footed goose 22 to SEEider 88 - these are just some of them. The males displaying, but it all seems relatively amicable.
Wigeon 4
Red-breasted Merganser 4 - another female with more suiters than she probably wants, although I always get the impression that the males are more intent on impressing each other than impressing the female.
Little Egret 2
Oystercatcher 800
Curlew 20
Redshank 120
Turnstone 40
Knot, initially there were just 100 scattered around, then a flock of 1200 arrived from the north. Not many were flagged but there were some new birds.
 |
| This lime flag is part of a Wash scheme. JAC. I couldn't help but say "Hi Jac" No reaction, probably heard it before! |
I returned this afternoon at 14:30
 |
| The or a immature Mute Swan was to the south of the skear |
 |
| The Wigeon were resting along the waterline |
 |
| The Brent geese were scattered over a rapidly greening skear |
There were more Redshank 200, and Turnstone 80.
c500 knot were around in several small flocks, I managed tho check the largest (200) for flags but there were none. I was just heading off when large numbers began arriving. There ended up being three flocks, totalling 2400. The light was going, as was my stamina! But I headed back. I checked a flock of 900, but could only find 4 flagged birds. Partially down to the fading light, but mainly as not many were flagged. Fortunately two were new for this winter.
This are some coming in to land
