Barn Owl at the South Finger
Barn Owl out and about near the hides
We installed a Barn Owl box along the fleet/channel at the South Finger extension in January 2022 and it was occupied by a pair of Barn Owls almost immediately, we have had sightings of these birds in the dark so far this year and see 'splash' (droppings) in the hides each day. One bird was seen close to Kingfisher Hide today, let's hope it leads to another breeding season and daytime sightings.
The shallow water areas are frozen today, highlights today included the following
Estuary Tower
A misty start but the high tide period had a Curlew roost, a few gull species and the Pintail/Wigeon flock along the shore, the Barnacle and Canada Goose flock had the usual hybrids and the Ross's Goose. A Peregrine was on lookout from a foreshore post.
Top New Piece/Zeiss Hide
Merlin on the fences.
Rushy Hide/Peng Observatory
The first winter drake Greater Scaup was still o the top pond with 90+ Bewick's Swans, a drake Mandarin as well as 100s of Tufted Duck, Pochard, Shelduck, Pintail, Mallard, Teal and Coot and Moorhens. Both Golden Plover and Lapwing have been dropping in on the ice with a few Dunlin and five Black-tailed Godwits for company.
South Lake
Pair of Oystercatchers, dozens of Black-tailed Godwits, 100s of Dunlin and Lapwing on the ice and Pochard, Tufted Duck, Teal, Cormornats, Black-headed and Herring Gulls in the mist (cleared by 11am).
