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.
Tag Archives: birds
Dunlin – 30th May
This morning the rain persuaded some passing waders to pause on the Slurry Lagoon. Four Dunlin and three Ringed Plover were feeding on the exposed mud. Nine species of warbler were seen or heard and several were feeding fledglings and there were fledgling Swallows by the railway bridge. PS. AE.
Little Ringed Plover – 17th May
The Little Ringed Plover was back, displaying over the dry end of the Slurry this afternoon. Later it was seen feeding at the wet end. The pair of Yellow Wagtails were on the Causeway again and a Grasshopper Warbler was singing at the back of the Gravel Pits. PS.
Little Ringed Plover – 13th May
A sudden downpour this afternoon produced three Little Ringed Plovers on the Slurry Lagoon. For a while they were feeding on the shoreline and then one started to fly over the lagoon calling in a display flight. Soon the other two joined it and all three were calling as they gained height and continued their journey. PS.
Greenshank – 2nd May
This morning a Greenshank briefly joined the Dunlin and Garganey on the Slurry Lagoon. A Peregrine caused panic amongst the feral pigeons and Carrion Crows, and two male Cuckoos were around the Gravel and Deep Pits. Good numbers of warblers were counted and one or two Yellow Wagtails flew across the site. PS.
Garganey – 29th April
The male Garganey was still present on the Slurry Lagoon this morning. The female Goosander was also still present on the river by the Poulser Brook. There were seven Garden Warblers singing and two Cuckoos were seen. PS.
Garganey – 25th April
A cracking male Garganey appeared on the Slurry Lagoon this morning. After feeding steadily for an hour or so it decided to take a nap. During this time at least ten Buzzards went through to the north after gaining height over the site. The Sand Martins were seen to dash in a tight group across the Large Gravel Pit and a few seconds later a Peregrine was found, carrying prey (probably a Sand Martin), which it took up to a pylon to eat. PS.
In the afternoon a Hobby was hawking insects over the Deep Pit and some damselflies were seen including Common Blue, Blue-tailed and Banded Demoiselle. RW.
Swift – 24th April
Today, during the patchwatch, seventy seven species of birds were recorded, including a Swift, two House Martins, three Garden Warblers, eight Lesser Whitethroats and seven Grasshopper Warblers. PS.
Marsh Harrier – 22nd April
This morning a pair of Lesser Whitethroat were found on the corner of the Slurry Lagoon by the steps. On the river near the bend a female Goosander was resting on the bank and a Curlew, followed by a Whimbrel flew through. A female Marsh Harrier appeared over the Slurry Lagoon, alarming all of the ducks, before quartering the reed beds. After a while it landed in the reed bed but was seen leaving the site a few minutes later. A Yellow Wagtail was also seen and the Cuckoo returned to the Deep Pit fence posts. PS. RW.
In the early afternoon a Hobby drifted through to the east. RW.
Cuckoo – 20th April
At last a Cuckoo has arrived on site. He called from the willows around the gravel pits and then found the posts around the Deep Pit. There were also four Yellow Wagtails fifteen Common Terns and a House Martin. RW. JMD. PS.