Bevies of Whoopers & Gaggles of Geese
We are seeing larger numbers of our migratory wildfowl now. Our peak count for Whooper swans on the Whooper pond for this week was 38 although we probably had days this week with a total of 40+ on the site itself. More Barnacle geese seem to have made it over here as well with a peak of c.2000 this week.
The Whooper pond itself is looking more like its normal busy winter self with Canada geese, Wigeon, Tufted duck, Mallards, Cormorant, Moorhen, Mute swans and of course the Whoopers! We’ve also had sightings of Snipe on the Folly pond. We did have both Marsh and Hen harrier out on the saltmarsh on Tuesday and 521 Shelduck on the saltmarsh too!
11th October
Folly pond- Little egret
- Lapwing
- Black tailed godwit
- 7 Long tailed tits
Peter Scott Observatory
- Pintail
- 5 Tufted ducks
- 2 Cormorants
- 6 Moorhen
- Whooper swans
- Great white egret
- Marsh harrier (male)
- Hen harrier (female)
- 521 Shelduck
- 1 Raven
- 3 Roe deer
- 78 Golden plover
- 2 Dunlin
- 1 Common darter dragonfly
12th October
Peter Scott Observatory
- 22 Whooper swans
13th October
Saltcot Observatory- Stonechat
- 5 Little egret
- Natterjack toad
- 2 Barn swallows
- Teal
- Wigeon
- Lapwing
- c.30 Northern Shoveler
- c.40 Black tailed godwit
- 2 Little egret
- Black headed gulls
- 15 Whooper swans
- Hen harrier (female)
- 200+ Barnacle geese
- Jackdaw
- Rook
- Tufted ducks
- Whooper swans
- Wigeon
- Mute swans
- 8 Snipe
14th October
Paddock screen
- 11 Snipe
15th October
Newfield hide- c. 500 Barnacle geese
- 10 Greylag geese
- 6 Gadwall (male)
- Northern shoveler
- Teal
- Wigeon
- 3 Roe deer
- Black tailed godwit
- 2 Snipe
- 1 Little egret
- 1 Great white egret
- 1 Little egret
- 1 Hen harrier (male)
- 1 Pheasant
- 12 Roe deer
- Barnacle geese
- Great black backed gull
- Redwing
- 2 Peregrine falcons
- Barnacle geese
- 29 Curlew
- 2 Redshank
- 2 Black tailed godwit
- 1 Gadwall
- 30+ Whooper swans
- Brown hare
- 6 Little egrets
- Great white egret
Feature photograph; Whooper swan family by Faith Hillier