WeBS count October 2022

After breaking Langford's tufted duck record during the September WeBS count, things were back to normal this month on the tufty front, much to the relief of the WeBS team who had probably had enough of counting them... Talking of black and white ducks though, the first goldeneye of the year was seen on Phase 3, 16 pintail were also present a sure sign of the change in the seasons and wigeon numbers are building. Areas around the perimeter of Phase 3 have recently been topped to provide shorter lush grass for the wigeon to graze on during the winter months. In theory these areas may also lure some of the greylag geese out of the establishing reedbed areas, providing them with a tasty and more abundant alternative to grazing on reed shoots, (interestingly after the record 1004 greylags counted during October 2021, only 381 were counted this year)... meaning the reed, like the WeBS team is also breathing a sigh of relief.

Drone photos below taken recently by Wayne Lagden, first is looking north across Silt Lagoon 7 and Phase 1, second looking south across Phase 2 and Phase 3.