As winter advances, the weather still seems vey autumn like, with nighttime temperatures only occasionally dropping to zero and sunny, calm days hitting double figures! Consequently, numbers of winter migrants here at Langford are still not as high as they have been in recent, colder Decembers, with presumably fewer birds moving westwards from the continent.
However, there has still been plenty to keep us entertained on site last week, highlights including –
Up to 5 goldeneye on Phase 1, Phase 2 and the silt lagoons
2 whooper swans regularly roosting on silt lagoon 5
A big tit and finch flock by the viewing screen including all the common species, but we have also recorded lesser redpoll in the last week and it’s always worth looking out for bramblings at this time of year feeding with other finches and buntings.
Coal tit still feeding with other tits by the woodland – a scarce species here at Langford it is nice to see it regularly on site. It has been two years now since our last winter marsh tit records, so please do let us know if you come across one.
Both green and great spotted woodpeckers have been showing well in the last week. Look our for green woodpeckers perched on top of willow trees around the silt lagoons and great spots calling in the woodland and by the viewing screen.
A large flock of fieldfare and redwing were making their way down Westfield Lane (the road to Collingham that follows our northern boundary) on Friday as I went to check the Trent.
The starlings continue to delight us every evening, with the best display I’ve seen so far this winter on Friday when 9000 birds joined the murmuration and then went into roost in silt lagoon 6. Numbers are still fluctuating each night with between 4000-9000 birds, they now seem to be favouring the silt lagoon area.
And finally, performing peregrines over Phase 2! I have seen peregrine regularly in the last two weeks, but two birds over Phase 2 on Wednesday last week put on an excellent show. One bird continuously stooped at the other, calling all the time, with the second bird swooping and diving as the first bird stooped at it. They carried on for about 3 minutes, eventually disappearing to the north over Phase 1. Perhaps a pair interacting, or an adult bird interacting with a juvenile.
Peregrine. Ben Hall (rspb-images.com)