Monday 15 December 2008

SUNDAY 14 DECEMBER



The reedbed at Marsworth Reservoir is a very important roosting site for CORN BUNTINGS in winter and it has been a traditional site since at least 1980. I counted a total of 164 birds this evening
SUNDAY 14 DECEMBER 2008

A cold, grey day, with temperatures dropping as the wind veered away from the SW. Very quiet birdwise, with little of interest

WILSTONE RESERVOIR

Great Crested Grebe (13)
Little Grebe (1)
Cormorant (32)
Mute Swan (15 including 1 first-winter)
Greylag Geese: flock of 117 in sodden field immediately north of Wilstone Cemetery
Eurasian Wigeon (513)
Common Teal (231)
Gadwall (only 4)
Shoveler (7)
Tufted Duck (87)
Northern Pochard (86)
COMMON GOLDENEYE (2 females by jetty)
Lapwing (241, roosting on tern rafts and on central causeway)
Common Kestrel (female by road)

STARTOP'S END RESERVOIR

Tufted Ducks (23) with an additional 'Greater Scaup-like' hybrid with a flat crown and striking white blaze on the forehead. Hint of a tuft at rear of crown.
COMMON GOLDENEYE (2 females)

TRINGFORD RESERVOIR

Great Crested Grebe (3), Mute Swan (4), Gadwall (3), Shoveler (7) and Eurasian Coot (23)

MARSWORTH RESERVOIR

Great Crested Grebe (3)
SHOVELER: 213 feeding around the algae bunds
Pochard (3)
WATER RAIL - 2 squealing
Common Buzzard - usual adult

Bullfinch - single male in the 'wood'
Common Starling - just 258 flew in to roost
Reed Bunting - 2 to roost

*CORN BUNTINGS - did my first complete roost count of the winter revealing the presence of just 164 birds - a further reduction in numbers and continuing the year-on-year drop in numbers at this only traditional roost in the region. The first 15 birds arrived at 1517, followed by several small flocks totalling 112 birds by 1535. A further 16 arrived at 1542, 2 at 1546, 1 at 1547 and the final 33 at 1548.

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