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Vicky Anderson
Today was another coordinated dawn goose count, followed by a count of all wetland birds on the reserve. If you were up at half six this morning you will know the weather was not at all conduicive to accurate counting. In wet and windy weather ducks, if they are sensible, tuck themselves away in the reeds or sheltered pools, so we tend to get quite low numbers. The geese however, tend to behave themselves, so we are happy with the figure of 16,700 Pink-footed geese. We have had quite low numbers of Greylag geese, just a handful on most days, but 60 Barnacle geese were seen on the 9th, using the dry fields in front of Tower Hide. The Snow geese are still with us and have been seen on and off all week. The Single "white" goose was seen on the 9th several times throughout the day and the 2 "blue" geese were also seen yesterday in fields on the way to Rattray. (Although no sign of any of them today so far) Whooper swan numbers have tailed off, with only 186 counted today from first light. Duck numbers were overall quite low today, so another count is needed as soon as possible next week at which point we will update you. The American wigeon appears to be settled with us and again has been seen most days including yesterday. It is generally best seen from the Fen Hide, but popped up in front of Tower Hide on the 4th. Three Scaup (a male and two females) were seen from Bay Hide today, and 4 were seen from Fen Hide on the 2nd. A single Long-tailed was recorded on the pools to the left of Tower Hide today. Bearded tits are still around, this week they have been mostly seen from Fen Hide where 5 were recorded several times on the 8th. Our farmland bird numbers are beginning to build up. We will be starting our fortnightly surveys this week, but on 9th just on the walk to the Tower Hide there were: 90 Linnets; 70 Tree sparrows, and 5 corn buntings. 30 Goldfinch were using the fields next to Tower Hide today. There were also good numbers of Yellowhammer and there looked to be very good numbers of Reed bunting, but a coordinated counting effort is needed! A large flock of 350 Fieldfares moved through the reserve on the 9th, which was a lovely example of "viz mig" Lapwing and Curlew numbers have also been low this week, with just 44 and 33 recorded respectively today. The wader highlight was 80 Golden Plover seen from Fen Hide on the 6th. Water rail have been a wildlife highlight recently, we probably hear them most days, but they are showing well from the Fen Hide most days, flitting from one side of the cut reeds to the other. A family group of 4 Moorhen are also providng good entertainmnet here too. One of our regular visitors also saw "his best ever otter moment" at Fen Hide this week. It was popping in and out of a hole in the ice yesterday, very close to the hide. Close by there were reports of a "large flock" of Twite at Rattray on Friday and the 2013 Waxwing invasion has started, with a flock seen near St Fergus Gas Terminal on the 7th.