….the WeBS year that is. Wetland Bird Survey years run from July – June, so yesterday’s survey was the last of the 2012 – 2013 season. Myself and Warden, Paul conducted the count yesterday, in what is traditionally the quietest WeBS of the year. Here are our results –
71 mallard
29 tufted duck
17 teal
13 gadwall
6 canada goose
3 greylag goose
3 shelduck
13 mute swan
121 coot
3 moorhen
2 grey heron
1 little egret
4 cormorant
17 great crested grebe
2 little grebe
4 oystercatcher
5 lapwing
1 little ringed plover
6 black-headed gull
Several broods of mallard are doing well across the site, with many young nearly ready to fledge and the mute swan pair with six young are also doing well on Phase 2 – really great to see after last year’s total failure. The two young oystercatchers from Phase 1 have now fledged and can still be seen with their parents feeding around the Phase 1 area and there are another pair of oystercatchers on Phase 3 with small young – let’s hope they are as successful!