This morning 18 Common Snipe were circling over the Slurry Lagoon reed-bed before dropping in. A flock of 16 Lapwings flew over the Deep Pit and there were seven species of duck on the Slurry Lagoon, including Pochard, Shoveler, Teal and Wigeon. Later two pairs of Egyptian Geese stopped off on the Slurry Lagoon for a bathe. PS.
Tag Archives: Wigeon
Pintail – 6th November
A female Pintail was on the Slurry Lagoon this morning, feeding with the Wigeon. A female Peregrine flew low over the site from the new pylon and several large flocks of Fieldfares flew over, some dropping into the Hawthorn bushes. Still a few Siskins going through, and some Common Darters about. PS.
Hobby – 24th September
This morning a Hobby was seen over the Slurry Lagoon. There was also a light passage of Swallows and House Martins and two Wigeon flew in. There were some large flocks of small birds containing Long-tailed Tits, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps. PS
Water Rail – 3rd September
This morning there were five Wigeon on the Slurry Lagoon. Up to 36 Shoveler were also there and about forty Swallows passed to the south in small family groups. A Water Rail dashed across the gap in front of the Causeway benches and two others were heard. There were still two Common Terns on the Deep Pit and large flocks of warblers, mostly Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs, were about. PS.
Whinchat – 6th September
Today there were four Whinchats in the rough field beside the sub-station. The Slurry Lagoon had twelve Lapwings and ten Wigeon and lots of Water Rail activity in front of the Causeway bench. There were lots of warblers still foraging for calories for their migration, including Reed, Sedge, Willow Warblers, Whitethroats, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs. PS.
Hobby – 4th September
This morning the Dunlin was still on the Slurry Lagoon with six Lapwings. There were ten Wigeon and a Hobby briefly harassed some migrating Swallows and House Martins. PS.
There was also one Snipe flying around over the Slurry Lagoon and, later, a Ringed Plover did the same before heading off SE. Two immature Yellow-legged Gulls were amongst the gull flock on the Slurry Lagoon. MC.
Green Sandpiper – 1st September
This morning there was a Green Sandpiper, a single Lapwing and a Snipe on the Slurry Lagoon. Amongst the ducks were four newly returned Wigeon. PS.
Later on the Whinchat was found in its normal patch, by the sub-station. KH.
Peregrine – 22nd November
This morning there were good numbers of Wigeon on the Slurry Lagoon and Redwings feeding in the Hawthorn. In the evening a Peregrine flew over the Deep Pit and up to the top of the New Pylon. PS.
Marsh Harrier – 11th November
This morning the Red-crested Pochard was still on the Slurry Lagoon and some small groups of Skylarks were flying over. There were at least five hundred birds on the Slurry Lagoon, consisting mainly of Wigeon, Black-headed Gulls and Coots, but with smaller numbers of other species mixed in. About mid-day a female Marsh Harrier lifted all of the gulls off the Slurry Lagoon and drifted off into the trees in the reed bed. About six Water Rail were heard calling and some Redpoll flew over. PS.
Stonechat – 1st November
This morning a pair of Stonechats were on the Ecopark. The Slurry Lagoon had masses of ducks, coots and gulls on it, including over 250 Wigeon. PG.
In the afternoon there were two Caspian Gulls and five Yellow-legged Gulls in the Deep Pit area. A Great White Egret was on the Wader Scrape, a Pintail on the Ecopark and two Bramblings on the Severn/Trent field. MC.