Sightings for 8 January- highest Bewick's Swan count for the winter
Sightings of the long staying (wintering) birds have continued although the weather is now changing, a few dryer days have seen those floods drop a little with cold weather now with us, the forecast is for a dry, cold spell which may move a few more birds. The Bewick's Swans as expected have reacted to the dropping temperatures, the highest day count of the winter so far is 105 birds. The majority were on the Rushy but 17 were counted on the Tack Piece.
Other sightings include the following.
Tack Piece
Wader numbers were building up for the day but a Little Stint among the Dunlin and 273 Curlew counted at 0945hrs, (+30 on road fields), 1000+ Wigeon, 100 Teal, Lesser White-fronted Goose with the Canada Goose flock, Redshank and Ruff along the scrape edge. Three Roe Deer. Ruff and Redshank were feeding again, a flock of 32 of the former noted over the weekend. Kingfisher seen from Martin Smith Hide.
Top New Piece
140 Teal, 30 Wigeon, 39 Pintail and 17 Shoveler.
South Lake
12 Avocet, 15 Cormorant, 49 Pochard, 199 Shoveler and 10 Gadwall among the many birds birds present.
Rushy Hide/Peng Observatory
The white phase Snow Goose was present at the feed, it was nervous but didn't fly off but did join the Greylags in the Grounds and was approachable. This bird showed up on Saturday. The Spotted Redshank was on the lower pond
Bottom New Piece
Grey Plover among the Golden Plover and Lapwing flocks, 2 Egyptian Geese and varying numbers of Dunlin on the field. Two Roe Deer. Chiffchaff at the Kingfisher Hide.
South Finger reed/filtration beds
Great Egret this morning + a few Bullfinches in the hedge.
Grounds
The drake Goldeneye displaying to the collection birds and Stonechat in the South American area. Two or three Cetti's Warblers singing.
Decoy Hide
Little Grebe
