Sunny intervals milder today 6dg.
A walk around the north end today and ended up with a excellent flock of 88 x Wigeon , which is the highest count since December 2009. Also today two Snipe flushed from vegetation, 4 x Coot , 8 x G C Grebe , 5 x Goosander , single Grey Wagtail , single Little Egret and 29 x Redwing. Around the feeders were a single Willow Tit , 18 x Siskin in Alders by the bridge , and good numbers of resident birds .
Sunny clear skies but cold just 2dg. Overnight frost -5dg.
A walk around the south end this morning produced 12 x Teal , 11 x Snipe , Kingfisher, Water Rail , 2 x Buzzard , 2 x Raven , 4 x Little Egret , several Nuthatch , 3 x Moorhen , L B B Gull , 2 x Bullfinch and 3 x Siskin.
Todays count of 71 x Wigeon is the highest count in 11 years , with 78 recorded in March 2012 .
Nice sunny and dry for a change 4dg.
Good number of Wigeon this morning with 71 counted along with 3 x Teal , a single drake Tufted, 6 x Coot , 12 x G C Grebe, and 10 x Snipe. Approx 250 Canada Geese and a single Greylag feeding in the field . The feeders were productive with a fem Reed Bunting , 17 x Siskin , 3 x Nuthatch , 7 x Coal Tit , Bullfinch , Treecreeper and 2 x Willow Tit. Other birds of note are 2 x Mistle Thrush a single Song Thrush , 6 x Redwing and a single Jay.
Overnight snow with temperatures of -4dg. Rudyard looked stunning this morning bathed in sunshine and covered in snow , see pictures below. North end produced 15 x Wigeon , 10 x Teal , 2 x Tufted , 3 x Coot and a single G C Grebe. On and around the feeders were 2 x Willow Tit , 12 x Robin , 3 x L T Tits , 2 x Nuthatch , 3 x Chaffinch and good numbers of Blue , Great and Coal Tits. Others of note 71 x Rook , 9 x Meadow Pipit , 18 x Redwing , 2 x Jay , 7 x Snipe and a single Mistle Thrush. Bringing this years total so far to 53 species.
Seven adult Common Gull on the water opposite the scout hut this morning, along with two G C Grebe , 40 plus Mallard and around 300 Canada Geese . Four Raven calling overhead and two Willow Tits on the feeders. Also noted 10 x Fieldfare, single Grey Wagtail and Water Rail calling.
Very quiet this afternoon , weather sunny intervals very windy 10dg. Around 300 Canada Geese at North end along with five Teal , four Goosander and around 40 Mallard. South end included a single Little Egret , Treecreeper, Nuthatch and a single Common Gull flying around the boats.
I have just received some more older images this time from 2020.
The 2020 Pectoral Sandpiper was found by Mark Buxton . This was the third record of Pec Sand at our site , the other two being 23/08/10 and the first on 23/09/03.
Many thanks to Steve Gibson who took these of the Pectoral Sandpiper , which was found 23/08/10.
Below is a small selection of old images taken by Phil Jones , except Red Throated Diver which was taken by Steve Gibson. The Little Egret was the first recorded at the site . The Smew is the only drake ever recorded at the site , and the Pectoral Sandpiper is one of the three records we have. If anyone has any old photos of the scarce birds in the list on the right hand side of this blog especially before 2011 please get in touch. The photo's below will be added to the side of the blog with the others already their.
Patch Mega this morning as a Cetti's Warbler was very frustratingly heard calling but not located. Then it called again and was seen along the feeder stream at the south end of the lake along the edge of the field. I followed it feeding for over a hour along the feeder ditch , it called a couple more times then all went quiet and no further sign. I belive the last record was by Charles Linfoot on 02/01/78. Managed to grab loads of photos of twigs and branches as it moved along the ditch. But did get lucky as it paused briefly.
Also present were Little Egret x 3 , Water Rail x 2 , Snipe x 6 , Goosander x 7 , Wigeon x 5 and Willow Tit x 2 .
Nothing really changed from past couple of days , 35 species noted on a leisurely walk around. Sunny first thing but cold 8deg. Little Egret x 3 all bottom fields past the Dam, also a single Water Rail and two Snipe. Wigeon numbers dramatically down with only two left this morning along with 14 x Teal and 4 x Goosander. Kingfisher along feeder stream and the two regular Willow Tits at the feeders north end. Oh and one large flock of 37 x Siskin counted.
Pink-footed Geese x 52 flew over N/W @11-50 . Also a single Little Egret , Water Rail , Siskin x 9 , Bullfinch x 5 , Wigeon x 17 , Teal x 27 , Buzzard , Coal Tit , Nuthatch x 7 and Redwing.
