upstarts1979
Well-known member
Birding Moors
Spent all 10 hours at the Moors arriving in the dark and leaving in the dark on what was my first visit f the year
Most of the birding was done from the east side.
The negatives first were no Pochard and very low coot numbers, although most of the waterfowl totals were low for the time of year.
The highlight now doubt was as when we walked along the east promontory prior to the work party. Earlier I had counted 105 common snipe along the promontory. When we started the walk more snipe flew out from areas that I couldn't see from the hide. However when reached the middle section Jack Snipe started jumping up from under our feet. In just a few yards we were inundated with them and this was just on the east side...there would have been even more if we had checked the rest of the areas around the Broadmeadow..Worryingly though some of the Jacks were struggling through the bramble that has now engulfed a large proportion of this previously ideal snipe habitat. I know there has been some negative comments about some of the bramble patches we have removed but believe me if this section (as well as others) is not removed and subsequently destroyed, we will see the demize of common snipe, Jacks and other waders in a short period of time.
Anyway back on a positive track, a barn owl appeared at 4.50ish in the SW marsh and slowly hunted its way to the east side and along the edge of the reeds.
MOORS: species count
Little grebe 2. Little egret 4 appeared from nowhere at 3pm on the promontory tip. Cormorant 12. Mute swan 2. Greylag 8, canadas 80+, shoveler 13. Gadwall pr, teal 44. Mallard c25, Shelduck 8, Tufted 37. Coot 12 -14 max. Water rail 2 heard.
JACK SNIPE 23 min, Snipe 120+. Curlew 11. Lapwing 57.
BHG 500+ moved through early am. 60+ large gulls late on.
Sparrowhawk. Barn owl .
Fieldfare 3. Redwing c25. Mistle thrush. Song thrush 3 singing east side.
Starling 30+. Goldcrest. Cettis w 3. Grey wag. Pied wag 4. Greenfinch 10. Bullfinch. Chaffinch. Goldfinch. Redpoll.
Spent all 10 hours at the Moors arriving in the dark and leaving in the dark on what was my first visit f the year
Most of the birding was done from the east side.
The negatives first were no Pochard and very low coot numbers, although most of the waterfowl totals were low for the time of year.
The highlight now doubt was as when we walked along the east promontory prior to the work party. Earlier I had counted 105 common snipe along the promontory. When we started the walk more snipe flew out from areas that I couldn't see from the hide. However when reached the middle section Jack Snipe started jumping up from under our feet. In just a few yards we were inundated with them and this was just on the east side...there would have been even more if we had checked the rest of the areas around the Broadmeadow..Worryingly though some of the Jacks were struggling through the bramble that has now engulfed a large proportion of this previously ideal snipe habitat. I know there has been some negative comments about some of the bramble patches we have removed but believe me if this section (as well as others) is not removed and subsequently destroyed, we will see the demize of common snipe, Jacks and other waders in a short period of time.
Anyway back on a positive track, a barn owl appeared at 4.50ish in the SW marsh and slowly hunted its way to the east side and along the edge of the reeds.
MOORS: species count
Little grebe 2. Little egret 4 appeared from nowhere at 3pm on the promontory tip. Cormorant 12. Mute swan 2. Greylag 8, canadas 80+, shoveler 13. Gadwall pr, teal 44. Mallard c25, Shelduck 8, Tufted 37. Coot 12 -14 max. Water rail 2 heard.
JACK SNIPE 23 min, Snipe 120+. Curlew 11. Lapwing 57.
BHG 500+ moved through early am. 60+ large gulls late on.
Sparrowhawk. Barn owl .
Fieldfare 3. Redwing c25. Mistle thrush. Song thrush 3 singing east side.
Starling 30+. Goldcrest. Cettis w 3. Grey wag. Pied wag 4. Greenfinch 10. Bullfinch. Chaffinch. Goldfinch. Redpoll.
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