September WeBS count ... a bit delayed!!

I've been sitting on the September WeBS counts for a little while, but finally your patience can be rewarded!! This is the first WeBS count that's happened since the covid lock-down came into effect way back in the mists of time, so it was a special moment, with our WeBS team (Stuart, Tony and Mark) surveying the site with full biohazard suits on.

Duck numbers are starting to build and back in September at least we were in the midst of a pretty good wader passage, not vast numbers of individuals, but a good range of species. Also I think the 14 Egyptian geese may be a new high count for Langford?? Will have to check that.

The next WeBS count is 18th October and I'll try to be more efficient with posting the results for that one! The hawthorn bushes on site are fully laden with berries at the moment and redwings are fieldfares are starting to be seen, although to date at least, none of the flocks have stuck around long, with them stopping in for a quick snack before heading off elsewhere. Skeins of pink-footed geese, whooper swans and brambling have all been recorded recently... Winter is coming. Other recent sightings of note have included yellow-browed warbler (first record of the site on 10th October, but further records on 15th and 16th. I would strongly recommend listing to the call on xeno-canto https://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Phylloscopus-inornatus to get your ears tuned in as they're sneaky, skulking, little creatures, hard to spot and quick to move), bittern, regular great white egrets (are they just called great egrets now?), brambling, crossbill, siskin, rock pipit, little stint, goosander, stonechats, marsh harrier, bearded tits (hooray!! - most recent record on 16th October of a male and female on Phase 1 - they move about though, so again get your ears tuned into their 'pinging' call), whinchat and Caspian gull.

Hunting buzzard taken by Stuart Carlton