Geese flocks building by the week
Thrush galore
Wigeon
Lapwing
Central lagoon
The old Reed Lagoon
Looking back towards the main pit
Only remained reeded area remaining
The new reed lagoon !
Main pit with new raised sides
Two distant Goosander on main pit
A heavy downpour late Saturday was always going to make Sundays WEBS count difficult. The paths & service road where we once walked have gone as the site has been restored (restored is the term Cemex use).
As soon as I moved into the patch boundary there were significant number of Redwings & Fieldare feeding on the last of the summer fruit & winter berries. You really know winter has arrived when you hear the Fieldfare clicking call. Meeting Jon we headed off on our regular circle to count as much as possible.
Over looking Pophills were the regular pair of Common Buzzards whilst on the edge of the water there was a Common & Green Sandpiper and a Grey Wagtail. Yet more thrushes were perched high as we walked back towards the main pit. In the main field there were over two hundred Greylag Geese including one smaller goose (as much as we tried it was still a Greylag). Three Redpoll flew south over our heads.
Total counts included 16 Little Grebe, 54 Cormorant (mostly flyovers from Ragley), 4 Grey Heron, 26 Mute Swan, 333 Greylag (more feeding at south area), 420 Canada Geese, 3 Shelduck, 6 Wigeon, 1 Pintail (south lagoon), 10 Gadwall, 48 Teal (large drop from last year), 205 Mallard, 7 Shoveler (split between areas), 54 Tufted Duck, 2 Sparrowhawk, 5 Buzzrad, 3 Kestrel, 141 Coot, 106 Lapwing, 7 Snipe, a Common Gull, Raven, two Siskins and 12 Reed Bunting.
The old reed lagoon has now been turned into a raised area which looks like it will have more trees planted in it. The two furthest south lagoons are thankfully in place still and should remain so. The one pool will in all probability become to overgrown in time.
On our return to the main pit I picked up a pair of Goosander which was an excellent addition. After a good morning birding and a good catch up with Jon we headed to opposite directions to see if we could find any Golden Plover flocks. Neither of us did, however there were two Great Crested Grebes at Salford Priors & Jon found another 120 Lapwing at George's Elm Lane in Wixford. As I reached Dunnington a Red Kite passed flying west, this is my first record for a number of months.
Neil, always disappointing to see such 'restorations '. If the area was returned to farmland it might be OK but to consider the default 'conservation' route of tree-planting, if that's what happens, is even more disappointing. Wetland areas more scarce than wooded areas. No doubt the landowner doesn't wa g the job of maintaining a wetland. Cheers Mike
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