As The Swannery is now closed I don't have to work at weekends now until March, when we open again. We still feed the swans (and the Mallards, Pochards, Tufted Ducks, Coots and Moorhens!) over the weekends though and I volunteer to do the bulk of this as I like to have a look round anyway. I didn't find much today however or yesterday for that matter. The best day since my last blog was Friday 4th when there were seventeen Mediterranean Gulls (a good count for The Swannery still) and the first hint of Woodpigeon passage with twenty NW (early days yet I hope). Steve Hales our resident ringer (myself, Dave and Suz are only licensed to ring waterfowl) also popped in to try his luck and managed to catch the male Bullfinch that I saw earlier in the week although unfortunately a Firecrest managed to escape. The rest of the week was rather quiet... though there are still good numbers of Teal, Wigeon and Pintail, with a few Shoveler and Gadwall. Pochard and Tufted Duck numbers aren't very impressive as yet and there is still only the one Scaup and no Merganser or Goldeneye as yet. Apart from the pigeons there has been little overhead passage and no Brambling, Redwing or Fieldfare. There have been still a few Lapwing, Snipe and Redshank but no other waders. Lets hope that things pick up soon!
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| Male Bullfinch (and Steve's hand!) |
Steve Hales has his own blog concentrating on the ringing side at The Swannery... abbotsburyswanneryringing.blogspot.com and so has Luke who also rings at The Swannery and at another sight nearby... welshbirderindorset.blogspot.com.
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