Northerly Thursday
Strong northerly winds mean it is an unseasonably cold day on the reserve. Peter Scott Trail: Chiffchaff, willow warblers were the only audible species today however there was plenty of finch [...]
Strong northerly winds mean it is an unseasonably cold day on the reserve.
Peter Scott Trail:
Chiffchaff, willow warblers were the only audible species today however there was plenty of finch and tit activity around the feeders.
Whooper Pond:
A family of whooper swans landed on Whooper Pond this morning consisting of 2 adults and 5 juveniles. The assumption is that they were wild un-ringed birds; as soon as they saw me and the yellow feed wheelbarrow they were spooked and in flight...
Only 25 swallows today; these cold north winds have affected swallow numbers.
Other sightings were 24 mute swans, 12 tufted duck, 32 mallards, 9 house martin, 2 oystercatchers, 2 pied wagtails and 2 moorhen.
Folly Pond:
Folly Pond sightings included 3 pairs of gadwall, 3 oystercatchers, 6 shovelor, 4 widgeon, 15 teal, 11 mallards, 9 black tailed godwit.
The family of whooper swans I spooked earlier are now residing in Folly Pond.
Salcot Merse Observatory:
Still good numbers of golden plover; with over 400 in full breeding plumage on the merse.
Skylarks, meadow pipits, lapwings, shelduck are in good numbers on the merse however redshanks are scarce.
Teal Pond:
It is taking the full brunt of the northerly winds and subsequently is very quiet.
Willow warblers, black cap and chiffchaff remain vocal near the viewing pod however the sedge warblers were silent!
Campbell Hide:
There were 14 teal, 7 widgeon, 4 moorhen, 1 shelduck and 4 lapwing. Pied wagtails keep fluttering in front of the hide bringing food to the nest in the hide roof.
Avenue Tower:
8 lapwings in Lochar Field; and 4 in Tower Field. Lochar Field and Tower Field are still excellent vantage points to view the golden plover passage; still no dotterel!
A peregrine falcon swooped over Lochar Field putting all the birds up however the falcon continued flying south east towards the Solway.
Other sightings:
Only 1000 barnacle geese on site this morning. With over 17,000 at Rockcliffe; migration to Svalbard is imminent.
1 pale bellied brent goose was seen amongst the barnacle geese.
5 pink footed geese were on the merse.
If you see anything exciting on the reserve today please let us know at reception.
(Rob Martyr, Snr Warden)
