The monthly WeBS (Wetland Bird Survey) count was rather disappointing for numbers, the drier winter has had an impact as well as the count following a freeze up which causes dispersal. The totals follow below as well as some highlights for the last two days.
Almost 11,000 wetland birds were counted, we are counting the gulls/gull roost tonight.
Little Grebe 5- including two from Kingfisher Hide and one on South Lake.
Great Crested Grebe-one on South Lake.
Cormorant- 7
Little Egret- 2
Grey Heron- 6
Mute Swan- 157
Bewick's Swan- 156 (151 roosted on the Rushy Pen, 5 in the grounds)
E. White-fronted Goose-142
Grey lag Goose-482 (likely to be a little duplication as birds moved about the site)
Canada Goose- 169
Barnacle Goose-181
Manadarin Duck- 3 (two on Tommy's Loopway among the captive birds and one on South Lake duck marsh from Hogarth Hide)
Shelduck- 214
Wigeon- 2279 (includes 1100 on the estuary as counted by M. Smart)
Gadwall-56
Teal-1648
Mallard-896
Pintail-279
Shoveler- 75
Pochard-161
Tufted Duck-457
Water Rail-2 (seen from Willow Hide)
Moorhen- 267
Coot- 114
Golden Plover- only 1 seen!
Lapwing- 2392
Knot- 3 (South Lake)
Little Stint- Rushy Pen
Dunlin-680
Ruff- 15 (Top New Piece/Bottom New Piece
Snipe- only three seen on the count (100's present last week)
Curlew- 17 (some heard heading inland to feed for the day)
Redshank- 3.
Two Peregrine Falcon, a female Marsh Harrier, 3 Buzzard, 3 Stonechat and a variety of commoner passerines were also seen.