This week on the ranch: 11-19 January

This week on the ranch:

The extra rain has topped up the flashes and there are plenty of duck on the marsh although the WeBS count at the weekend suggested that number (bar Pintail) are a little low due to the mild conditions.

Lapwing - Steve Knox

January WeBS Count… 

Black-tailed Godwits seem to have largely deserted us at the moment (they are probably in Devon or Spain now!) and we have only had one Golden Plover although the two Ruff are still around.  Redshank numbers are still very low.

Ruff and Lapwing - Mark Vale

Curlew with a worm - Jonathan Ely

The Short-eared Owls have been sporadic to say the least and the Barn Owls have gone back to being nocturnal.  There are still four Marsh Harriers and the usual other raptors around and there are a gazillion gulls out on Wennington and the landfill including Caspian, Yellow-legged and an Iceland Gull.

Short-eared Owl - Mick Brockington

The Firecrest is still in the woodland and Blackcap and Chiffchaffs are still to be found but there are very few finches, Reed Buntings, Skylarks and Meadow Pipits. Rock and Water continue to be seen along the foreshore with the latter preferring the Target Pools. A small group of Fieldfares are still loyal to the river wall but there are only the odd Redwings to be found.

Fieldfare - Steve Knox

Let’s hope for some colder weather from the east to spice things up!