Tag Archives: Wigeon

Goosander – 18th January

January 18, 2015Recent wildlife sightings18th January, 2015, Chiffchaff, Goosander, Green Sandpiper, Large Gravel Pit, Little Egret, Ouse Dyke, Stonechat, Treecreeper, water rail, WigeonPete Smith

This morning there were three Chiffchaffs along the Ouse Dyke, the Green Sandpiper was also seen and a Treecreeper, two Little Egrets and three Water Rails. On the Large Gravel Pit there were three Goosander amongst the Wigeon. On the weedy patch in front of the substation there were a male and female Stonechat. PS.

Mute Swan – 19th February

February 19, 2014Recent wildlife sightings19th February, 2014, Coltsfoot, Mute Swan, teal, WigeonPete Smith

Across the river from the reserve, a herd of almost sixty Mute Swans are feeding on the rape field. Most of the Teal and Wigeon have now left the site. Another sign of the approach of spring is the first Coltsfoot flower of the year. PS.

Pintail – 28th January

January 28, 2014Recent wildlife sightings2014, 28th January, Gadwall, Goldeneye, Large Gravel Pit, pintail, WigeonPete Smith

The drake Pintail is still present on the Large Gravel Pit. It likes to nestle into the willows along the back edge. There are also still lots of Wigeon and Gadwall and some Goldeneye. PS.

Pintail – 5th January

January 5, 2014Recent wildlife sightings2014, 5th January, Deep Pit, Grey Wagtail, kingfisher, Large Gravel Pit, Little Egret, Mallard, Ouse Dyke, pintail, Pochard, Slurry Lagoon, teal, Tufted Duck, WigeonPete Smith

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

Pintail – 16th September

September 16, 2012Recent wildlife sightings16th September, 2012, Gadwall, House Martin, Large Gravel Pit, Lower Path, Meadow Pipit, Migrant Hawker, Muntjac, pintail, Shoveler, Slurry Lagoon, Swallow, teal, Wigeon, Yellow WagtailPete Smith

This morning there was a female Pintail and a female Golden-eye on the Slurry Lagoon, as well as three Red-crested Pochards and good numbers of Gadwall, Shoveler and Teal. There were about 80 Wigeon on the Large Gravel Pit and Swallows, House Martins, Meadow Pipits and Yellow Wagtails were passing through. On the Lower Path a Muntjac was seen. In the afternoon a swarm of Migrant Hawkers was seen along the Lower Path. PS.

Goosander – 7th December

December 7, 2011Recent wildlife sightings2011, 7th December, birds, Cettis Warbler, Deep Pit, Gadwall, Goldeneye, Goosander, Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Large Gravel Pit, Mallard, Shelduck, Slurry Lagoon, teal, WigeonPete Smith

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.

Red-crested Pochard – 22nd June

June 22, 2011Recent wildlife sightings2011, 22nd June, birds, Common Tern, Gadwall, Mallard, Pochard, Red-crested Pochard, Shoveler, Slurry Lagoon, WigeonPete Smith

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.

Common Tern – 15th June

June 15, 2011Recent wildlife sightings15th June, 2011, Common Tern, Gadwall, Slurry Lagoon, teal, WigeonPete Smith

The first of the juvenile Common Terns has made it onto the Slurry Lagoon. It was expertly picking insects from the waters surface while its parents were aggressively attacking passing crows. The Gadwall duck still had all eleven of her ducklings with her. Also present were a pair of Teal and now two male Wigeon. PS.

Goosander – 16th March

March 16, 2011Recent wildlife sightings16th March, 2011, birds, Buzzard, Goosander, Oystercatcher, river, WigeonPete Smith

A female Goosander was seen on the river, just downstream from the railway bridge, this afternoon. there was also a male Wigeon present, apparently the only one left. Further downstream there was an Oystercatcher resting on the bank. Earlier on a Buzzard got the Crows in a tizz as it flew low over the site. PS.

Barn Owl – 13th January

January 13, 2011Recent wildlife sightings13th January, 2011, Barn Owl, Coot, ducks, Gadwall, Large Gravel Pit, WigeonPete Smith

Late this afternoon a Barn Owl was watched for about twenty minutes as it quartered the grass between the Large Gravel Pit and the river, several times pursued by a crow. It dropped onto something in the grass several times but it was not possible to see what it was catching, but it must be hungry to be hunting in daylight when the nights are so long. The northern end of the Large Gravel Pit (the end that was longest under the ice) was covered in wildfowl, mostly Gadwall, Wigeon and Coot. Both the other two water bodies are now more or less ice free. PS.

(At last A BARN OWL on the site for PS – Hurrah – AE)