The last week has certainly seen the wind of change blow through the reserve with the winter birds now replacing our summer migrants, pink-footed geese, whooper swans passing through, the first stonechat and over 1300 teal today feeding on Marshland lagoon while today it was the NNW wind that brought another immature gannet this time heading west and 'vaulting' over the pylons at Ousefleet.
This Googa gannet luckily managed to vault the pylons today
The pink-footed geese have already built up to over 8000 birds along the Humber with the majority roosting on our Reads and Whitton Island reserves, while the first whooper swans were on Singleton lagoon with then three birds resting on the Ouse near to Reedness church. Watch out for both these species as their numbers will build into October.
Pinkfeet at dawn on Whitton (Mike Pilsworth)
Resting whoopers on the Ouse (Mike Pilsworth)
Although wildfowl numbers are still low possibly due to us still having a water shortage on site with only shallow lagoon levels there has been a steady movement of wigeon and pintail along with now plenty of teal building up alongside shoveler and the first diving ducks for a while, three tufted duck on Marshland this morning.
Teal and ruff on Marshland this morning
Female tufted duck this morning looking a bit scaupy as she's preening
Wader numbers are still low but three grey plover flying west was notable this morning and the first sign of movement for some time, there were at least 30 ruff on site this morning too and on most days there are lapwings, redshank, snipe, black-tailed godwit, curlew, and a few flypast curlew and golden plover. On tide there is also still the odd ringed plover but apart from this no sign of any dunlin at all!
The bearded tits are still erupting particularly on the calmer mornings while it was good to see the first stonechat of the year arrive back on the grazing marsh on the last day of September. The kingfisher has also been putting on a fantastic show at times often in front of reception hide, while water rails have been often seen on first lagoon.
Stonechat
Also on the grazing marsh today was a bit of a Mexican standoff! - if looks could kill!
Plenty of tree sparrows around the feeders at the moment (see photo) and nice to see the little flock of goldfinch that are feeding in front of first hide going onto the wildflowers in Horseshoe meadow yesterday. Only a bit of visible migration recently with a few siskin, skylark, and plenty of chaffinch. Another coal tit was calling from the hedge on Monday, and there was a bullfinch on Friday. Very few summer migrants left now just seemingly the odd chiffchaff with no swallows at all over the last couple of days.
Tree sparrows on the feeders! They must be Hungary
Nice on Monday with the cool morning to just stand and listen to this robin singing - a simple pleasure
Summer is certainly not over though for all of our resident birds, the wood pigeons are still right in the middle of their peak breeding time! This lovely 'little' fully fledged squab was in the car park on Monday
Regular merlin sightings are probably the best raptor highlights at the moment with only about 7 marsh harriers coming in to roost, a few buzzards and kestrels but not too much else of note.
Again some nice wildlife watching particularly the roe deer which are often in front of the hides, and after last nights light rain a bit of fungi emerging.
Roe deer in front of Marshland
And one of the smaller inkcaps
Hare in front of Ousefleet hide