After getting the quad bike wedged between 2 thorn bushes and then stuck in some very deep mud last Friday, I managed to survive the weekend without incident and was in bright and early today for the WeBS (Wetland Bird Survey) count. Three of us went out to different areas of the reserve and the final results including numbers in each field were...
Little grebe 1 (Reedbed)
Little egret 2 (Ashgrave)
Grey heron 4 (1 Flood, 2 Greenaways, 1 Big Otmoor)
Mute swan 18 (7 Greenaways, 3 Ashgrave, 2 Ashgrave, 6 Reedbed)
Greylag goose 170 (123 Closes, 44 Greenaways, 3 Ashgrave)
Canada goose 451 (2 Closes, 449 Ashgrave)
Lapwing 159 (26 Flood, 1 Closes, 130 Ashgrave, 1 Big Otmoor, 1 Reedbed)
Snipe 4 (1 Closes, 2 Greenaways, 1 Reedbed)
Wigeon 838 (170 Flood, 55 Closes, 23 Greenaways, 30 Ashgrave, 550 Ashgrave, 4 Big Otmoor, 6 Reedbed)
Gadwall 9 (1 Flood, 8 Reedbed)
Teal 314 (95 Flood, 76 Closes, 21 Ashgrave, 50 Ashgrave, 72 Reedbed)
Mallard 132 (55 Flood, 4 Malt Pit, 15 Closes, 3 Greenaways, 47 Ashgrave, 8 Reedbed)
Pintail 2 (Ashgrave)
Shoveler 149 (5 Flood, 143 Ashgrave, 1 Reedbed)
Tufted duck 7 (Reedbed)
Moorhen 1 (Closes)
Coot 3 (Reedbed)
Black-headed gull 29 (Ashgrave)
Other birds of note included large flocks of fieldfare and redwing, a peregrine, 2 ravens, a stonechat and a hen harrier. Although we didn't pick any up on the survey this morning, there seem to be quite a few water rail on the reserve at the moment, I heard 4 different ones calling last Friday. Listen out for their distinctive pig-like squeeling noise coming from the reeds. Also a waxwing was seen over the weekend in the field next to the car park so keep an eye on those berry bushes!