We did our monthly waterfowl count this morning - tricky due to the awesome extent of the flooding throughout the valley and a bit of early mist, but it was utterly calm which made the counting the ducks/geese/swans etc present fairly straightforward if we able to get to the right place. Impressive numbers of birds were present throughout the valley, particularly on Amberley wildbrooks, and there were some areas we usually count that we were simply unable to get to.
Across all sites (Pulborough to Offham) we found ca.3800 wigeon, 470 pintail, 220 shoveler, 3000 teal, 1200 lapwings, 60 mallard and smaller numbers of shelduck, gadwall, pochard, coot and tufted duck. There were also 16 Bewick's swans just south of Houghton, and in the same area about 1400 black-headed gulls, 80 common gulls and at least one Med' gull. Notable by their complete absence were snipe and black-tailed godwits, not surprising due to the water levels. In fact the only wader apart from lapwings was a single green sandpiper on the edge of the north brooks at Pulborough (perhaps it likes turnips - hundreds remain in the edge of the flood).
Away from the flood, birds that exist on a different (well, higher) plane seem to be enjoying the mild weather and oblivous to the turmoil on the floodplain - song thrushes, great spotted woodpeckers and nuthatches were all making spring-like noises this morning, and yesterday, a flock of redwings were chattering/singing as though it were mid-March.