This morning the flooded areas , especially the Wader Scrape, had attracted good numbers of Mallard, Teal and Gadwall and there were five Goldeneye on the Deep Pit. In the late morning a Great White Egret flew over the Slurry Lagoon. PS.
This morning there were, as usual, good numbers of Greylag and Canada Geese and Mallards on the Slurry Lagoon, which went off to feed fairly early on. The hedgerows were full of thrushes, mostly Redwings, Blackbirds and Fieldfares. A flock of about three hundred Lapwings flew over with a flock of about fifty Golden Plovers, probably the ones from Holme Pierrepont. There were two Snipe on the Slurry Lagoon, an Egyptian Goose flew over and six Goldeneye were on the Large Gravel Pit. PS.
This morning there were a fair number of gulls resting on the frozen surface of the Slurry Lagoon. Also a Peregrine was seen making half-hearted attacks on a Black-headed Gull and a Mallard.
This morning a Redshank was on an island on the Slurry Lagoon. There were also almost 100 Mallard also on the Slurry Lagoon, and seven Water Rail were heard. A small flock of Fieldfares was eating berries from a hawthorn and a Jay was in one of the oaks.
In the evening the Starling murmuration contained up up 12,000 birds, including one white one. PS.
This morning the female Pintail was still on the Slurry Lagoon as were the Shoveler pair and a Little Egret. There were also broods of Mallard and Gadwall. The first fledged Black-headed Gulls had also flown across from the Deep Pit. PS.
This morning there were four Little Egrets, a Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail and Chiffchaff along the Ouse Dyke. The Slurry Lagoon held good numbers of Teal and some Pochard, the Deep Pit had Tufted Duck and Mallard and the Large Gravel Pit held Wigeon, Gadwall and a single male Pintail. PS
This afternoon, on the Slurry Lagoon, a Water Rail with two chicks was seen at the edge of the reed bed. There were also three Gadwall broods and a brood of Mallards. RW, JMD.
A Curlew flew over the reserve calling in lovely liquid notes. It settled on the Slurry Lagoon to rest and preen. Also on the Slurry Lagoon were several Mallard, Gadwall, Tufted Ducks, Pochard and a male Shoveler. PS.
This afternoon there were two female Goosander on the Large Gravel Pit, along with four female Goldeneye and some Gadwall and Wigeon. On the Deep Pit there were five male Goldeneye and several Mallard. The gull roost on the Slurry Lagoon contained an estimated 700 Greater Black-backs and at least twice as many Herring Gulls. There were well in excess of 2,000 birds. There were still good numbers of Shoveler and Teal as well as a Shelduck. A Cetti’s Warbler was heard calling in the Slurry Lagoon reed bed. PS.
This morning there were seven Red-crested Pochard on the Slurry Lagoon. Also present were the two male Wigeon and a male Shoveler. The Gadwall still has all eleven of her ducklings and a Mallard now has five. There is still no sign of the Pochard ducklings though. Two recently fledged Common Terns were dipping for insects from the water surface. PS.