Swannery Birding Highlights Of The Week...
Wildfowl...
For once the best duck of the week was not the long-staying female Scaup but a juvenile Garganey...
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| The juv. Garganey at the back of The Decoy Pond on Wednesday |
Unfortunately it was only present for an hour or so and was not seen again. Also 'new in' this week were the first Pintail of the autumn. Today's September WeBS totals were: Mute Swan - 667; Black Swan - 2; Canada Goose - 210; Gadwall - 5; Mallard - 450; Teal - 152; Pintail - 16; Shoveler - 21; Pochard - 14; Tufted Duck - 113; Scaup - 1. In addition, on Tuesday the Bar-headed Goose returned briefly and Wigeon peaked at 5.
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| Teal, Wigeon & Pintail at 'The Fleet Pipe' |
Waders...
The best wader of the week was the adult Spotted Redshank, that was present on Thursday...
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| The Spotted Redshank, with Redshank left & Greenshank right |
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| Above three pics the Spotted Redshank with a Redshank |
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| Above four pics the moulting adult Spotted Redshank on 'Meadow Pool' |
Spotted Redshank is a relatively scarce visitor to The Swannery, this week's being only the second record in the last five years. Other uncommon waders this week were a Wood Sandpiper (also on Thursday and again on Saturday but on both occasions seen only by ringers Steve and Luke) and two Ruffs that flew in and landed on Meadow Pool during this morning's WeBS...
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| This is the only half decent shot I could get of the two juvenile male Ruffs together. Grrr, if I've trimmed that reed back once... |
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| As you can see from the above two pics at least one of the Ruffs came out of cover! |
Today's September WeBS totals (with any higher counts in the week in brackets) were: Oystercatcher - 2; Lapwing - 4; Knot - 1; Dunlin - 2; Ruff - 2; Common Sandpiper - 6; Green Sandpiper - 2 (4); Greenshank - 1 (2); Redshank - 4 (7). In addition earlier in the week Black-tailed Godwit peaked at 2 and there were singles of Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Curlew and Sanderling, whilst at least 3 Ringed Plover were 'heard only'.
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| Juv. Black-tailed Godwit |
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| Green Sandpiper |
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| Greenshank on Meadow Pool |
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| Greenshank at the Fleet Pipe |
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| Common Sandpiper on Bum Point |
Gulls & Terns...
The highlight was the juvenile Arctic Tern (first seen last Sunday) that lingered until Monday...
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| The juv. Arctic Tern that was a bit more cooperative for the camera this week |
The only other tern seen this week was a juvenile Common Tern and there were no gulls of any real note, with Mediterranean Gulls for instance peaking at no more than 3. Today's September WeBS totals were: Black-headed Gull - 300; Herring Gull - 40; Great Black-backed Gull - 24. In addition in the week there were a few 'Lesser Black-backs' and a single Common Gull was seen on Saturday...
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| One of the autumn's first few Common Gull's (a 2nd year). |
Other Water-birds...
Today's September WeBS totals were: Little Grebe - 23; Great Crested Grebe - 47; Cormorant - 20; Little Egret - 11; Grey Heron - 1; Moorhen - 12; Coot - 500; Kingfisher - 1. In addition in the week there were a few Water Rails in evidence.
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| Just some of the Little Grebes now in residence... |
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| ...And a close up of a Little Grebe |
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| Kingfisher at the Fleet Pipe |
Raptors...
An Osprey was seen daily from Monday to Thursday...
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| A distant, heavily cropped shot, of the Osprey |
There was also a single Merlin on Saturday (Steve & Luke) and a single Hobby on Tuesday...
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| Juvenile Hobby over the Fleet Pipe © Charlie Wheeler wheeler-photography |
Two Marsh Harriers were seen, a juvenile and the regular male and there were several Buzzards, Sparrowhawks and Kestrels of course, as well as the occasional Peregrine.
Passerines etc...
To Pipits & Wagtails first and at last (having had none in the spring) my first couple of Tree Pipits of the year flew over and (after inexplicably having had none breed in the recording area this year) it was great to hear the first overhead passage this autumn of Meadow Pipits. The Yellow Wagtail roost peaked at only around 30, and among the Pieds were my first few White Wagtails of the autumn, whilst for the set, the occasional Grey Wagtail flew over. Thrushes, Chats & Flycatchers included single figures of Wheatears and Stonechats most days, along with 3 Whinchats, a Redstart and a Spotted Flycatcher. There were also plenty of Robins and Blackbirds of course but there have been no other thrushes for weeks now. Warblers included good but unimpressive numbers of Reed, Sedge and Cetti's in the reedbeds and Willow, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Whitethroat in the withybeds but there were no surprises.
There have been good numbers of Swallows and House Martins overhead along with a few Sand Martins and a tardy Swift.
For the sake of completeness (as I have already listed all the wetland species) 'residents' not already mentioned this week were Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Goldcrest, Wren, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Reed Bunting, Starling, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Raven, Pheasant, 'Feral Pigeon', Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Green Woodpecker and Great Spotted Woodpecker.
So all in all a pretty good week!
Thanks to ringers Steve and Luke, WeBS counters Alan and Ian and work colleagues Charlie and Judy for all their sightings.
I'll leave you with a couple of Charlie's images from the 'Fleet Pipe Hide'. Thanks again Charlie...
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| Greenshank with Shoveler & a Black-headed Gull © Charlie Wheeler wheeler-photography |
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| Spotted Redshank © Charlie Wheeler wheeler-photography |
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