This afternoon at about 15.00hrs, ten Waxwings were briefly seen along the path on the NE side of the Slurry Lagoon. The Green Sandpiper and a Grey Wagtail were also seen along the Ouse Dyke. AV.
Tag Archives: Grey Wagtail
Green Sandpiper – 15th February
The Green Sandpiper was in its usual spot again this morning, on the Ouse Dyke. There was also a Grey Wagtail, Water Rail, Kingfisher and Little Egret. The bird table at the end of the Causeway is attracting a good mixed flock, including six Reed Buntings. Please feel free to bring food to replenish the bird table. PS.
Stonechat – 8th February
During this morning’s bird count the Ouse Dyke was again very productive, with Green Sandpiper, Little Egret, Chiffchaff, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail and two Water Rails being seen. On the Wader Scrape a male Stonechat was spotted and a Peregrine flew over, along the pylons. More Water Rails were seen and heard and several Cetti’s Warblers were recorded. PS.
Pintail – 5th January
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
Chiffchaff – 13th January
The weather was cold with a dusting of snow on the ground when we met at dawn to do the bird count. Four Chiffchaffs flew from the pipe where the Ouse Dyke flows from under Teal Close, where they may have been roosting. Other birds recorded included Grey Wagtail, Lesser Redpolls, Little Egrets, a Shelduck and over 400 Teal. PS.
Hen Harrier – 15th October
The morning was frosty and the mist made the lagoons look like they were smoking. The geese were spectacular when they crowded into the lagoons, flying silhouetted against the mist. At about 08.15, on the Slurry Lagoon the Lapwings and Black-headed Gulls suddenly rose and flew out from the reedbeds. I looked but could see no raptor. Ten minutes later a crow gave its raptor mobbing call and there was a ringtail hen harrier, its white rump flashing as it dodged the crow. Two crows pursued the harrier aggressively and drove it off so that it left the site flying north-east, but it must have spent ten minutes in the reed bed before the crows started chasing it. There were still Skylarks trickling through with a couple of Meadow Pipits, and a flock of Siskins went over. Later three Grey Wagtails passed to the south and two Golden Plovers flew in, calling loudly. The two Pintail were still on the Slurry Lagoon and a female Golden-eye was on the Deep Pit. PS.
Nightingale – 15th May
This morning the brief, but distinct, notes of a Nightingale were heard coming from a bushy willow in the north end of the Deep Pit. It sang very sporadically and did not show at all. There were also all ten species of warbler singing and lots of Swifts swooping and screaming overhead. On the river there were two Oystercatchers and a Grey Wagtail while two Yellow Wagtails were seen on the Causeway. There are already some Marsh Orchids in flower. PS.
Cetti’s Warbler – 6th March
A cold wind was blowing as we walked around the site today but a pair of Grey Wagtails and a pair of Pied Wagtails did not seem too bothered by it, even though the male Grey Wagtail’s tail was blown right over his back at one time. The Cetti’s Warbler was heard in the Deep pit and the pair of Peregrines was perched on a pylon ( is this a different pair to those seen on the Newton Building ?). Three Water Rail were heard on the Slurry Lagoon and a Willow Tit was heard along the Lower Path. PS/AE/AR/DG/PG/RW.