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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

RSPB Middleton Lakes (1 Viewer)

Highlights today were 4 Snipe and a Short-eared Owl at 1215 by the DNR mobbed by a Crow and flew off high north. A Collared Dove and a Yellowhammer took the year list to 97.
 
Many pools were frozen today but there were 132 Wigeon and 21 Goldeneye on DNR and 2 Oystercatcher on DL. 156 Golden Plover on JWs. 20 Yellowhammer were reported in the field by the canal.
Recently the Short-eared Owl has been reported daily, other records were 3 Skylark over on the 17th, 4 Stonechat (18th) and 1 Chiffchaff and a Kingfisher (19th).
 
Wednesday 20th.
Late in the day I counted 161 Golden Plover on Jubilee Wetlands. I had an excellent view of the SEO at 3:50 when it came in low over the bunds & hunted along the river side of Fishers Mill Pool, the New Reedbed Pool, and then disappeared back over the river to the Dosthill side just south of the bridge.
Also around on the main part of the reserve were 2 Stonechat, 4 Goosander, at least 2 Snipe, and 6 Shelduck.
I then hung around by the Lt Egret roost with some other birders until well after dark but there was no sign of the Great White Egret coming into roost. Reports that Lt Egret numbers roosting were in the mid 30's.

All the best

Steve
 
SteveAtkinson said:
I then hung around by the Lt Egret roost with some other birders until well after dark but there was no sign of the Great White Egret coming into roost. .........
Click to expand...

Steve

I hung around Tuesday night until 5.15pm (dark) and it never showed. Came in just gone 5 tonight but quite dark. I didn't go down the reserve as just a quick visit after work. There was a third hand report of several Pintail (5 I think on JW) but a no show from the SEO.

The Starlings are behaving Odly. No real reports of murmurations but they seem to start off in the reeds at Fishers Mill then move to Silt Pool before finally moving again to the Feeders Pool dropping in in continuous waves of 200 or so birds. Happened several times recently and probably in the order of 3000-4000 birds.

Steve
 
Piccalilli said:
Steve

I hung around Tuesday night until 5.15pm (dark) and it never showed. Came in just gone 5 tonight but quite dark. I didn't go down the reserve as just a quick visit after work. There was a third hand report of several Pintail (5 I think on JW) but a no show from the SEO.

The Starlings are behaving Odly. No real reports of murmurations but they seem to start off in the reeds at Fishers Mill then move to Silt Pool before finally moving again to the Feeders Pool dropping in in continuous waves of 200 or so birds. Happened several times recently and probably in the order of 3000-4000 birds.

Steve
Click to expand...

I was there until that time last night too and I observed the Starlings going into the pool by the feeders. Someone suggested that they might move the roost if some of them had been predated in the previous spot. Seems logical. Didn't see a murmuration but I might have been too late as I was busy with the SEO up by Fishers Mill & the New Reedbed Pool.

Cheers

Steve
 
Short Eared Owl hunting between Fishers Mill and New Reed Bed for just a matter of seconds at 2.51pm before flying high and away over Dosthill NR. Also Barn Owl hunting at 3.56pm down the East side of North Pit along river walk path. Accurate flight count of 449 Golden Plover was possible when the birds left JW at 3.50pm.

Also on JW was Cormorant (orange ring CRR). This bird has roosted at KWP Otter Pool for the last 2 Winters and was ringed as a chick at Abberton Reservoir Essex on 2nd May 2013.

Steve
 
2 Lesser Redpoll were between the screens late afternoon. Barn Owl came in from the woods to the east of Dosthill NR and flew over the lake landing on a small island for a few minutes before it flew off towards the east of the North Pit where I presume Steve saw it. There were 12 Goldeneye on the lake and a Kingfisher on the river at dusk. A flock of 31 Meadow Pipits were by the east screen.

Steve
 
Very quiet today despite plenty of mud emerging. The Bar-headed Goose turned up again with 130 Greylag. 14 Shelduck around the reserve & a lone Lesser Redpoll on the feeders. My dream of a transatlantic rarity blown in on the strong westerlies proved to be a pipe-dream!

Cheers
Steve
 
Spring was in the air today about three weeks early, 3 Ringed Plover were on the JWs, a Bumble Bee was reported, Grey Herons on their nests were very noisy and Coltsfoot and Snowdrops were in flower.
90 Golden Plover and a pair of Stonechats were also on the JWs.
 
A drake Smew was on Dosthill nature reserve. The three Ringed Plover were still on the JWs and three Stonechat were around the fence there.
 
Early start this morning. 37 Little Egret left roost but took forever to come out so probably still some in there as I headed up the reserve. Pink Footed Goose, 18 Golden Plover & 2 Stonechat on JW, 2 Goosander (both m) on NP and mixed flock of Redpoll/Goldfinch Dosthill NR containing approx 20 Redpoll. Also 3 Redpoll and 1 male Siskin on the feeders.

Didn't locate Smew or Ringed Plover.

Steve
 
Didn't see a single birder on the reserve today just a jogger and a few dog walkers but it was dull and drizzly. Highlights were 1 Goosander, 2 Oystercatcher, 90 Golden Plover, 3 Ringed Plover, 8 Snipe, 4 Stonechat and 15 Meadow Pipit.
Year list is 102 which is a record for January but does include Bar-headed Goose so 101 for some lists.
 
geoffw1946 said:
Didn't see a single birder on the reserve today just a jogger and a few dog walkers but it was dull and drizzly. Highlights were 1 Goosander, 2 Oystercatcher, 90 Golden Plover, 3 Ringed Plover, 8 Snipe, 4 Stonechat and 15 Meadow Pipit.
Year list is 102 which is a record for January but does include Bar-headed Goose so 101 for some lists.
Click to expand...

I would hope for all lists Geoff!
 
geoffw1946 said:
It's important to record all the birds on the reserve including Bar-headed Geese and species such as Black Swan. In the future they might become regular breeders.
Click to expand...

Wouldnt disagree on the benefits of recording feral populations alongside wild birds but still struggle to see it forming part of any species totals.
 

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