I fear we have now reached that time of the year again where we have to huddle in the hides with our flask of coffee and wear 3 layers plus hats, scarfs and gloves. However, it is always worth it as it can be the best time of year to see the stunning wildlife that is out there. 

We managed a full island count this week just in time for our visitor trip on Saturday to give anyone visiting an idea of what they might see. The count included record numbers of Cormorants (quite a spectacle) a lovely flock of Avocet and smaller birds to look out for like the rock pipit, skylarks and reed buntings. 

Cormorant –930,  

Wigeon – 294,  

Gadwall – 26 

Teal – 144 

Pintail – 17 

Shoveler – 108 

Marsh Harrier  

Hen harrier (female) 

Avocet – 525 

Ringed plover – 43 

Grey plover – 62 

Lapwing – 5 

Knot 

Dunlin – 212 

Turnstone – 20 

Black tailed godwit – 174 

Curlew – 13 

Redshank – 209 

Rock pipit - 5 

Great black backed gull – 74 

 

And for those gull enthusiasts out there 

Yellow legged gull – 6 

Caspian gull – 2 

Also this week –the work party continued working on dismantling the old hut and building the new hide which we hope to have up and running in the new year. On the boat heading to the island with the workparty team we had a female Eider duck on the river and spotted our first female Hen harrier of the season. Now I am just waiting for the Short eared owls to start making an appearance.