We were up nice and early again on Monday to carry out the Wetland Bird Survey for December. We each had a separate area of the reserve to cover and the results are shown below. Wigeon, golden plover and lapwing numbers were the highest recorded yet this winter and will hopefully continue to rise. The main mass of birds seem to keep changing their favourite area to feed on the reserve, but at the moment the NE corner of the Greenaways field seems to be their preferred haunt.
Little egret 4 (2 Ashgrave, 2 Closes)
Grey Heron 7 (2 Malt Pit, 2 Big Otmoor, 2 Greenaways, 1 Ashgrave)
Mute swan 22 (5 Flood, 7 Malt Pit, 4 Big Otmoor, 4 Greenaways, 2 Ashgrave)
Greylag goose 94 (1 Ashgrave, 93 Closes)
Canada goose 263 (65 Big Otmoor, 197 Ashgrave, 1 Closes)
Wigeon 1276 (199 Flood, 25 Malt Pit, 284 Big Otmoor, 20 Reedbed, 710 Greenaways, 38 Ashgrave)
Gadwall 30 (28 Reedbed, 2 Ashgrave)
Teal 785 (50 Malt Pit, 235 Big Otmoor, 139 Reedbed, 210 Greenaways, 138 Ashgrave, 13 Closes)
Mallard 322 (15 Flood, 51 Malt Pit, 130 Big Otmoor, 15 Greenaways, 75 Ashgrave, 36 Closes)
Pintail 7 (3 Greenaways, 4 Big Otmoor)
Shoveler 107 (5 Flood, 24 Big Otmoor, 21 Reedbed, 7 Greenaways, 50 Ashgrave
Pochard 2 (Reedbed)
Tufted duck 7 (5 Reedbed, 2 Ashgrave)
Water rail 1 (Reedbed)
Moorhen 10 (5 Ashgrave, 5 Closes)
Golden Plover 350 (Greenaways)
Lapwing 838 (752 Greenaways, 86 Ashgrave)
Ruff 2 (Greenaways)
Snipe 15 (2 Reedbed, 13 Greenaways)