Woodcock
In the snowy conditions today our wintering Woodcock was again on view from the Janet Kear hide this afternoon, some satellite tracking of Woodcock have shown some birds travel upto 6100 kilometres from as far away as central Russia to winter at sites such as Martin Mere! With estimates that between 700,000 to 1,200,000 Woodcock winter in Britain each year
The raptor moment of the day was the sight of all 3 Peregrines hunting together with one of them almost taking a male Pochard in flight, a close call but the Pochard made it's escape. A few sightings of Sparrowhawk today included one seen to take a Chaffinch from one of the feeding stations on site.
Good numbers of Wildfowl in the snow today with upto 1600 Whooper Swan, 3000 Teal, 2000 Mallard, 400 Wigeon, 300 Pintail, 40 Pochard and a pair of Goldeneye. Upto 2000 Pink footed Geese were just of site today in fields along Curlew Lane, at dusk the Geese will come in to roost on the Mere overnight.
