Bird News
A wild and windy day with plenty of squally wintery showers and few reports. Oystercatcher numbers are building slowly, with at least 11 around the mere today along with 3 Black-tailed Godwit and 50+ Ruff. The juv male Peregrine has been seen along with Marsh Harrier and the usual Common Buzzard and Kestrel over the last 2 days.
Two Mistle Thrush, Redwing, Song Thrush and Blackbirds were feeding on the overflow car park this afternoon, with other larger flocks of Redwing and Fieldfare just off site. The Ross's Goose and Bar-headed Goose are still around, both almost certain escapes.
A few large Gulls on the mere in the afternoon included 2 Great black backed Gull, 15+ Herring Gull, several Lesser black backed Gull, the presumed Hybrid look alike Yellow legged Gull, several Common Gull and 800+ Black headed Gull sheltering from the at times awful but atmospheric conditions among 1000 Whooper Swans and thousands of other wildfowl.
