It was Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) time again this morning, the first for 2013 and the first in a long time that I have done in the snow! We arrived on site to around half an inch this morning, but with more falling throughout the middle of the day, by the end of the count we had nearly 2 inches. The heavily falling snow made visibility rather difficult, but I persevered and here are the morning’s results – not bad numbers either considering the conditions....
382 tufted duck
119 teal
111 wigeon
66 pochard – good number
53 mallard
8 gadwall
4 goldeneye
10 mute swan
182 black headed gull – some almost in full breeding plumage (is spring on it’s way!?)
2 great black backed gull
1 herring gull
154 lapwing – good number
8 snipe
1 green sandpiper
1 redshank – the first on site for months
65 cormorant
34 coot
4 grey heron
1 little grebe
1 great crested grebe – in breeding plumage
This afternoon after the count, 2 whooper swans flew from the north into silt lagoon 6, honking away as they drifted in – always a beautiful sound on a winter’s day and this morning several thrushes (including blackbird, fieldfare, redwing and song thrush), meadow pipits and pied wagtails were feeding together on what little clear ground they could find around the silt lagoons.