Please note that the reserve is still closed due to the on-going flooding situation. The public car park and the public footpath that follows the outer perimeter of the site are open but it may well be the case that not all the birds counted on WeBS are viewable.
After the October WeBS count was cancelled due to the flooding, the regular honker and quacker counters were released from their cages on Sunday eager for some wetland action. Their enthusiasm paid off and a new site record for Mandarin ducks was hit with 11 counted in total. Three black-necked grebes was also a good number for the site and with four recorded during the spring it looks like Langford is giving them what they want.
P1
P2
P3
Total
Black-headed gull
1
2
Coot
57
61
29
147
Cormorant
6
8
15
Gadwall
34
55
7
96
Great white egret
Greylag goose
5
9
14
Kingfisher
Little egret
22
3
27
Mallard
17
83
63
163
Mandarin duck
4
11
Mute swan
Pochard
36
44
Shoveler
23
Teal
200
211
Tufted duck
69
134
95
298
Wigeon
33
40
Bittern
Great crested grebe
Black-necked grebe
Canada goose
Goldeneye
Grey heron
Little grebe
There is still no firm idea of when the reserve will be re-opened, with the Trent needing to drop a bit more to allow the release of water still sitting on the Visitor Trail. Whilst the reserve remains closed, if you're feeling adventurous the 4 mile walk around the perimeter is worth doing, with great white egrets, cattle egret, pintail, marsh harriers and stonechat seen along the route over the past week.
Two of the black-necked grebes (James Wilkinson).