Thursday 12 January 2017

Wednesday 11th January

Made a quick visit today as I was pushed for time. Again no Great Crested Grebe, strange as this time last year there were in excess of 30. However, there was a male Goosander and c.40 Tufted Duck on the main pool and a single Pochard. Most of the wildfowl this winter have been on the small pool.

I checked an area of wet grassland where I saw four Snipe the other day, this time just a single Jack Snipe was seen with c.12 Meadow Pipit, there was also a Raven crocking away from the top of a tree.

Monday 9 January 2017

Monday 9th January

Ventured out into the murk today and again the Reservoir was devoid of life, with nearly all the wildfowl on the small pool. And, just for SH the totals were as follows:

  1 Great Crested Grebe (year first)
14 Little Grebe
  1 Teal
  1 Mute Swan
12 Canada Geese
  1 Goosander
47 Pochard
91 Tufted Duck
  5 Wigeon

In addition I saw 4 Snipe and 11 Meadow Pipit. There was a Kingfisher on the river, whilst there were around a dozen Siskin in with the Goldfinch feeding on the riverside Alders.

The paddocks held 30+Redwing, c.20 Blackbird and 2 Song Thrush.

Tuesday 3 January 2017

AWOL - Guilty as Charged

My life has been very busy recently with my youngest son moving out of the family home three days before Xmas day. He got his own house but decided it needed a rewire, plastered top to bottom, redecorated and carpeted, new doors etc, etc., Guess who ended up doing most of the work.

I managed a couple of trips out, seeing Dusky Thrush in Derbyshire and a Blue Rock Thrush in Gloucestershire. Pre the New Year I spent two afternoons searching for Waxwings at Hams Hall without success.

Made my first visit to Shustoke Reservoir in nearly two months and it was quiet, very quiet. In fact for the first time ever I failed to see Great Crested Grebe!

Wildfowl wise c.80 Pochard, 5 Wigeon, c.60 Tufted Duck, 16 Canada Geese, 2 Mute Swan and c.12 Little Grebe.

Met a really helpful employee of Severn Trent today who was interested in what I was looking at if he gets in touch I may be able to get access to the pool on Watery Lane, which would be nice as I don’t think it gets covered at all at the moment.

Lastly, may I wish all my readers a Happy New Year that is bird filled 12 months to come.