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Joe Harris (RSPB Langford Lowfields Site Manager)

I'm a bit more on track at the moment, so here they are, fresh in from the dedicated, early Sunday morning WeBS team, the results of July's Wetland Bird Survey...

P1

P2

P3

Total

Black headed gull

27

38

14

79

Canada goose

6

26

36

68

Greylag goose

14

38

187

239

Common tern

2

15

1

18

Coot

12

15

195

222

Cormorant

1

3

31

35

Great crested grebe

4

6

 4

14

Grey heron

1

5

3

9

Lapwing

3

4

9

16

Mallard

19

25

104

148

Moorhen

11

1

12

Mute swan

1

5

52

58

Oystercatcher

1

7

8

Snipe

1

1

Shoveler

3

1

4

Gadwall

30

30

Wigeon

14

14

Pochard

6

1

7

Teal

41

41

Tufted duck

40

147

187

Little egret

3

9

12

Water rail

1

1

Lesser black backed gull

9

9

Shelduck

1

1

Little grebe

1

1

Yellow legged gull

2

2

Good numbers of heron species on site at the moment, with the little egrets and herons being joined on a regular basis by a great white egret, bitterns are still skulking about on the reserve, but are elusive and probably spending most of their time sleeping, whilst dipping their long clawry toes into the cooling water. In line with fluctuations within a natural reedbed system, water levels at Langford are at their lowest during the late Summer and early Autumn and the herons are making full use of the warm, shallow-water feeding opportunities this provides.

Bittern in flight, taken by Langford regular Andy Richmond