Pink-footed Geese!
The main news of the day was the first returning family group of Pink-footed Geese, and what a large family, 2 adults and 5 juveniles flew in high from the north at 10.30 this morning circled the Mere before dropping down on to Woodend Marsh. Later they were seen on Sunley's from Ron Barker Hide. Other new returning wildfowl today were 2 new Pintail on the Mere. A real feel of Autumn in the air today with Meadow Pipits heading south calling this morning.
Few other sightings reported but the best was 3 Yellow Wagtails seen from Ron Barker Hide, also a Peregrine was seen along with good numbers of Common Buzzard, at least 9 birds counted. The Mere is chock full of birds at the moment, hundreds of Lapwings roosting, 300+ Greylag Geese, 100+ Teal, 10-15 Ruff, small numbers of Shoveler, Gadwall
Good news on the mud front for waders and Teal, the level of the Mere is slowly dropping! Just in time for the wader passage in September, which is a great month for potential American vagrant waders blown over with the autumn storms......
