Wyver Lane Bird Notes
February 2013
Highlights include: 2 Bitterns still, Pink-footed Geese and Waxwings.
The 2 Bitterns continued to delight many admirers throughout the month
with 1 being especially showy in a channel of water to the right of the main pool. It could often be seen from the lane wandering about in the open feeding on small fish. Both birds were still present up to 28th.
A Little Grebe was on the river on 21st, 6 Cormorants on 8th and 11th, 2 Grey Herons on 5th and 8th, 2 Mute Swans on 21st, 90 Greylag Geese on 5th, 110 Canada Geese on 5th, 120 Pink-footed Geese over on 9th, 14 Mandarin over at dusk on 2nd and 19th, 47 Wigeon on 19th and 22nd which is the best count since March 2010, 6 Gadwall all month, 40 Teal on 3rd, 58 Mallards on 3rd, 2 Shoveler up to 16th, 3 Pochards from 21st, 16 Tufted Ducks on 19th, a drake Goldeneye for 5 days from 1st, and 28 Goosander roosted on 3rd. A Water Rail heard on many dates, 18 Moorhen on 28th and 22 Coots
on 20th.
Raptors this month include 2 Sparrowhawks on 1st, 7th and 21st, 3 Buzzards on many dates, 2 Kestrels on 4th and 21st and 2 Peregrines on 5th.
The pair of Oystercatchers that successfully raised 3 young last year are back and have claimed the island, 31 Lapwings on 19th and 12 Snipe on 1st.
550 Black-headed Gulls were on the main pool on 15th, 5 Common Gulls on 19th, 8 Herring Gulls flew North on 11th, 6 Stock Doves on 3rd and 11th, 2 Little Owls on 18th, a Tawny Owl on several dates, a Kingfisher on 17th was the first record since last July, a Green Woodpecker most days, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers on 1st, 2 Skylarks over on 1st and 13 over North on 7th, a Grey Wagtail on 1st and 5th, Waxwings have been on show this month with 30+ on 3rd, 12 on 12th and 13th, 24 on 15th, 15 on 24th and 13 on 25th, a Meadow Pipit on 11th, c100 Fieldfares on 5th, 16 Redwings on 21st, 4 Mistle Thrushes on 21st, a Chiff Chaff on 1st and 4th, 14 Magpies on 1st, c100 Jackdaws on 4th, 2 Ravens on 1st, 4 on 21st and a single bird on 25th, 2 Jays on 12th, 20 Goldfinch on 11th, c20 Siskins on 4th, 2 Bullfinch on 8th, 4 Reed Buntings on 12th and a male in song on 19th.