Cuckoo
Another pleasant day out and about. Observers in the Janet Kear Hide caught some rarely seen activity in the shape of a Cuckoo flying into the reeds and coming out carrying an egg, presumably of Reed Warbler, to leave its own egg in place.
Some wildfowl counts included 900+ Mallard, 180+ Shelduck, 28 Teal, 12 Greylag, 9 Shoveler, 20+ Gadwall, 6 Tufted, 4 Wigeon and 4 over summering Whooper Swan. Also present 75 Moorhen, 59 Coot, Little Grebe, 70+ Lapwing, 10 Black-tailed Godwit, 7 Redshank with one fledged young, 4 Oystercatcher, Little Ringed Plover and Green Sandpiper.
Over 270 Black-headed Gull many with chicks, 2 Common Tern and Little Gull.
Raptors included 6+ Common Buzzard, 2 Kestrel and Sparrowhawk. Two Barn Owl hunting early on.
