This proved to be a historic WeBS count! With the highest ever numbers (for a WeBS at least) of Great White Egrets, Grey Heron and Little Egrets counted at Langford. A Knot was also recorded (the first for a Langford WeBS) and this means that during the 2023-2024 RSPB Annual Reporting Year (which runs from 1st October to the 30th September), 53 species have been recorded on WeBS counts, the highest number of any such year to date. Looking at this annual reporting year as a whole, it has also been the first year in which Sanderling, Purple Heron and Cattle Egret have been recorded on WeBS, all in the month of May and the 2023-2024 year also gave us the highest counts to-date of Mandarin (11 in Nov 2023) and Black-necked Grebes (3 in Nov 2023). History in the making!!
P1
P2
P3
Total
Black headed Gull
1
41
43
Canada Goose
3
51
54
Coot
39
40
Cormorant
11
22
33
Dunlin
8
Gadwall
17
Great Crested Grebe
2
20
24
Great White Egret
30
Grey Heron
4
Greylag Goose
408
Herring Gull
Knot
Lapwing
12
Lesser Black backed Gull
Little Egret
19
25
47
Little Grebe
Mallard
14
85
Moorhen
Mute Swan
9
10
21
Pochard
Ringed Plover
Ruff
Shoveler
34
Snipe
Teal
Tufted Duck
131
171
Wigeon
Water Rail
Other recent (non-WeBS) sightings of note have included 33 Great White Egrets (a site record), Marsh Harrier, Greenshank, Dunlin, Whooper Swan and Golden Plover.
Photo below taken by Stuart Carlton of the impressive mixed flock of egrets, herons and cormorants that have been feeding in a ravenous pack across the site.