December Wetland Bird Survey Counts and latest update

Highlights for today Tuesday 19 December.

Tack Piece

A Grey Plover was among the Golden Plover flock at lunchtime, waders numbers built up rapidly after mid-morning, the Bewick's Swans moved here from other fields and the Rushy. 18 Russian White-fronted Geese fed among the Canada Geese early morning but moved off, 4 Ruff, 34 Redshank, Curlew, 100s of Lapwing and Golden Plover as numbers build up for the day, 4 Snipe from Martin Smith Hide.

Rushy Hide/Peng Observatory

82 Bewick's Swans at dawn + the usual gathering of Shelduck, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Mallard, Teal and Pintail

Willow Hide

Two Water Rails under the feeders.

South Lake

Seven Avocet, three Cattle Egret and 12 Little Egrets dropped in this afternoon, a female Goldeneye was noted on the deep lake. Early morning count estimates of c350 Black-tailed Godwit, c200 Teal, 200+ Shoveler.

Canoe Trail

Two or three Chiffchaff along the main rhine and roving to the back of the exhibits.

Top New Piece

183 Black-tailed Godwit, c50 Lapwing, 69 Shoveler, 7 Pintail, c100 Wigeon, c500 Teal, GBB Gull.

Russian White-fronted Geese

Fields to NE of the car park and entrance fields- flock of 100 + Russian White-fronted Geese were flushed and flew towards Bottom New Piece.

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Monday 18 December

A Firecrest was reported down at the South Finger pathway, Goldcrests, Long-tailed Tits and Treecreepers also noted.

Sunday 17 December

A count of all accessible areas was conducted on Sunday 17 December, only the very North end of the reserve was missed due to the wet ground conditions and feeding birds.

14 Cormorant,
21 Little Egret,
2 Great Egret,
3 Cattle Egret,
3 Grey Heron,
6 Crane,

Wildfowl

131 Mute Swan,
2 Whooper Swan,
82 Bewick’s Swan,
1 Pink-footed Goose,
100 Russian White-fronted Goose,
159 Greylag Goose,
545 Canada Goose,
200 Barnacle Goose,
3 Egyptian Goose,
1 Dark-bellied Brent Goose,
Ross’s Goose,
1 Lesser White-fronted Goose,
1 Barnacle x Greylag Goose,
1 Snow x Bar-headed Goose,
2 Barnacle x Canada Goose,

319 Shelduck,
1322 Wigeon,
22 Gadwall,
1595 Teal,
382 Mallard,
479 Pintail,
354 Shoveler,
105 Pochard,
337 Tufted Duck,
1 drake Goldeneye,
9 Water Rail,
39 Moorhen,
41 Coot,

Waders

7 Avocet,
2009 Golden Plover,
1512 Lapwing,
3 Ringed Plover,
300 Curlew,
558 Black-tailed Godwit,
30 Ruff,
1090 Dunlin,
1 Little Stint,
1 Spotted Redshank,
45 Redshank,
11 Snipe,

1 Kingfisher,
Little Grebe,
1 Great Crested Grebe,

412 Black-headed Gull,
16 Lesser Black-backed Gull
42 Great Black-backed Gull
27 Herring Gull
443 Common Gull

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Saturday 16 December

A Firecrest was reported from the South Finger area, a Whooper Swan was seen on the Rushy.

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Friday 15 December

94 Bewick's Swan recorded on site today.

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