Every 2 weeks all the Otmoor staff rise at the crack of dawn to carry out a Wetalnd Bird Survey. The results of this are very important and allow us to monitor how wetland birds are doing and whether our management is heading in the right direction. We usually split up, allowing each of us to concentrate on one particular area of the reserve... Just as well, otherwise it would take all day!
The results of yesterdays WeBS are below.
Teal: 834 (102 Reed bed, 96 Ashgrave, 350 Big Otmoor, 250 MOD, 14 Maltpit, 22 Flood)
Pochard: 3 Reedbed
Wigeon: 800 (400 MOD, 250 Big Otmoor, 150 Greenaways)
Pintail: 50 MOD
Mallard: 101 (2 Reed bed, 2 MOD, 12 Ashgrave, 48 Big Otmoor, 7 closes, 6 Greenaways, 6 Flood, 18 Maltpit)
Tufted duck: 13 (3 Ashgrave, 9 Maltpit. 1 Flood)
Gadwall: 6 (2 MOD, 4 Reedbed)
Shoveler: 38 (4 Ashgrave, 30 MOD, 4 Big Otmoor)
Little egret: 4 Ashgrave
Heron: 3 (2 Big Otmoor, 1 Ashgrave)
Bittern: 1 Reedbed
Mute swan: 15 (3 Reed bed, 1 Big Otmoor, 4 Flood, 5 Closes, 2 Greenaways)
Greylag goose: 313 (100 Ashgrave, 213 Big Otmoor)
Canada goose: 223 (6 Reedbed, 14 Ashgrave, 162 Big Otmoor, 16 Greenawys, 25 Flood)
Moorhen: 8 (2 Reedbed, 6 Closes)
Coot: 10 (6 Reedbed, 2 MOD, 1 Closes, 1 Big Otmoor)
Cormorant: 2 reedbed
Lapwing: 1242 (30 Ashgrave, 13 Big Otmoor, 1 Maltpit, 53 Greenaways, 1,145 Flood)
Golden plover: 1,140 (Flood)
On our travels we also spotted a Kingfisher, Stonechat, Peregrine, Hen harrier (female) and Goldcrest!