I decided to do a Big Sit. Maybe not the best idea considering the temperature...
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| The view from Garganey hide at 10.30 |
It was a beautiful crisp winter's day however and I was well wrapped up. I started down at Garganey hide as there was more ice free water and a good selection of ducks including at least 30 Pintail. No Whoopers were apparent. I did see some over on Ellerton Ings later in the day.
Around 11 I moved up to the Geoff Smith hide and set my stall out in the "freezer"...
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| Carpet on the benches these days! |
The hide faces North, which is great for viewing but not for warmth. An impressive number of Lapwing (c300) were present with a scattering of Golden Plover (c30)...
Below is a list of birds (35 species) seen in 6 hours...
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Greylag Goose (Anser anser)
Greater Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope)
European Teal (Anas crecca)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
European Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria)
Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus)
Common Gull (Larus canus)
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus argentatus)
Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus)
Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus)
Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)
Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Dunnock (Prunella modularis)
European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)
Blue Tit (Parus caeruleus)
Great Tit (Parus major major)
Black-billed Magpie (Pica pica)
Jackdaw (Corvus monedula)
Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)
Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
Some surprising/amazing omissions. Chuffed with a Moorhen at 2.30!! Finally picked out a female Mallard sat in the reeds at 3.45!!!
A couple of (very) distant Buzzards were the highlight of a steady and very enjoyable day.
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| A bit closer |
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| Through the freezing fog |
Went to thaw out at 4 after finally giving up on a Barn Owl sighting.
Back in Feb...
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