There were still no official 'Rarities' this month and only one official 'Scarce Migrant' a Yellow-browed Warbler. Rarer than the latter locally now though were one or two Tree Sparrows, while other highlights included eleven (Greater) Scaup, a Long-tailed Duck and a Short-eared Owl.
More details on the above birds and the rest of this month's sightings follow below...
Mute Swan...
Present throughout with 380 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 13th.
Black Swan...
Two were present throughout.
Two were present throughout.
Greylag Goose...
One was seen regularly from the 2nd to the 16th...
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| The Greylag Goose November 2016 © Steve Groves |
Canada Goose...
Present throughout with 415 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 13th.
Barnacle Goose...
One presumed 'feral' bird was seen regularly from the 4th to the 21st, while eight, possibly wild birds, circled over on the 29th before flying down The Fleet...
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| The eight Barnacle Geese November 2016 © Steve Groves |
Brent Goose (Brant Goose)...
Five 'Dark-bellied Brent Geese', the first of the autumn, were seen on the 15th, while two were present on the 20th/21st.
Egyptian Goose...
Two flew north-west and then north-east on the 28th. The last record was in April 2015.
(Common) Shelduck...
Seen regularly with twelve counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 13th.
(Eurasian) Wigeon...
Present throughout with a peak of 320 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 13th...
Gadwall...Present throughout with a peak of 320 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 13th...
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| Drake (Eurasian) Wigeon November 2016 © Steve Groves |
Seen regularly with a peak of 26 on the 29th...
(Eurasian) Teal...
Present throughout with a peak of 1,100 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 13th... |
| A pair of Gadwall November 2016 © Steve Groves |
(Eurasian) Teal...
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| Drake (Eurasian) Teal November 2016 © Steve Groves |
Mallard...
Present throughout with 418 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 13th.
(Northern) Pintail...
Present throughout with a peak of 300 on the 9th... |
| A pair of (Northern) Pintail November 2016 © Steve Groves |
(Northern) Shoveler...
Present throughout with a peak of 110 on the 9th...
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| Drake (Northern) Shoveler November 2016 © Steve Groves |
(Common) Pochard...
Present throughout with around 200 present early in the month but only 60 were counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 13th and due to relentless harassment from Great Black-backed Gulls numbers stayed low for the rest of the month.
Tufted Duck...
Present throughout with 265 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 13th.
(Greater) Scaup...
The nine from last month remained and increased to eleven on the 4th. Ten were still present on the 7th and 8th but then these departed with the bulk of the Pochard and none were seen for the remainder of the month... |
| Ten of the eleven (Greater) Scaup November 2016 © Steve Groves |
Long-tailed Duck...
One, the first of the autumn, arrived on the 13th and lingered throughout...
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| 'Record shot' of the 1st winter female Long-tailed Duck November 2016 © Steve Groves |
One, the first of the autumn, was seen on the 1st, but there were no more until the 28th when two were present.
Red-breasted Merganser...
Seen regularly with a peak of twenty counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 13th.
Goosander (Common Merganser)...
A drake flew north-west on the 7th while a 'redhead' was present on the 16th.
(Common) Pheasant...
Present throughout.
(Great) Cormorant...
Present throughout with thirteen counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 13th.
Little Egret...
Present throughout with four counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 13th.
Present throughout with four counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 13th.
Little Grebe...
Present throughout with a peak of 40 on the 8th.
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| Little Grebe November 2016 © Dave Callaby dmcjournal |
Great Crested Grebe...
(Western) Marsh Harrier...
Single immature birds were seen regularly.(Eurasian) Sparrowhawk...
Singles were seen regularly.
(Common) Buzzard...
Seen regularly.
Water Rail...
Single figures were seen or at least heard regularly.
(Common) Moorhen...
Present throughout with a peak of 40 on the 11th.
(Eurasian) Coot...
Present throughout with 65 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 13th.
One on the 25th.
(European) Golden Plover...
One was heard on the 2nd (the first since last November).
(Northern) Lapwing...
Present throughout with a peak of 150 on the 21st.
(Eurasian) Curlew...
One was heard on the 8th.
Black-tailed Godwit...
Eight circled over on the 2nd.
Dunlin...
Regular with a peak of nine on the 7th.
Green Sandpiper...
One on the 27th.
(Common) Redshank...
Present throughout with a peak of five on the 22nd...
Present throughout with a peak of 20 on the 15th.
Present throughout with 70 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 13th. |
| (Common) Redshank November 2016 © Charlie Wheeler wheeler-photography |
(Common) Snipe...
Present throughout with a peak of 20 on the 15th.
Black-headed Gull...
Mediterranean Gull...
Regular with a peak of 30 on the 12th.
Common Gull...
Present throughout with 60 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 13th.
Lesser Black-backed Gull...
Single figures were seen regularly.
(European) Herring Gull...
Present throughout with 20 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 13th.Great Black-backed Gull...
Present throughout with a peak of 250 on the 17th.
(Feral/Domestic) Rock Dove...
Seen regularly.
Stock Dove...
Four on the 11th.
(Common) Wood Pigeon...
Present throughout, with small movements noted on the 1st - 200 east, on the 7th - 50 east and on the 11th - also 50 east.
(Eurasian) Collared Dove...
Seen regularly.Barn Owl...
None were seen or heard but a fresh pellet was found on the 14th.
Tawny Owl...
One was heard on the 3rd.
Short-eared Owl...
One flew south-east on the 3rd.
(Common) Kingfisher...
One or two were seen regularly.
(European) Green Woodpecker...
Seen regularly.
Great Spotted Woodpecker...
Seen regularly.
(Common) Kestrel...
Seen regularly.
Merlin...
One was seen on the 1st.
Peregrine Falcon...
Singles were seen on the 3rd and 18th.
(Eurasian) Magpie...
Present throughout.
(Eurasian) Jay...
One or two were heard on the 23rd and 30th. (Western) Jackdaw...
Present throughout.
Rook...
Present throughout.
Carrion Crow...
Present throughout.
(Northern) Raven...
Seen regularly.
Goldcrest...
Present throughout.
(Eurasian) Blue Tit...
Present throughout.
Great Tit...
Present throughout.
Coal Tit...
Present throughout.
(Eurasian) Skylark...
Seen regularly.
(Barn) Swallow...
One on the 20th.
Cetti's Warbler...
Present throughout.
Long-tailed Tit...
Present throughout.
Yellow-browed Warbler...
One was trapped ringed and released on the morning of the 1st and what was presumably the same bird was also heard later in the day... |
| Yellow-browed Warbler November 2016 © Luke Phillips |
(Common) Chiffchaff...
Present throughout with at least five present most days in the first half of the month at least.
(Eurasian) Blackcap...
Singles on the 8th and 19th, three on the 20th.
(Eurasian) Treecreeper...
Present throughout.
(Eurasian) Wren...
Present throughout.
(Common) Starling...
The roost built up to around 500 by mid-month, with feeding flocks over 200 in the surrounding meadows. In addition 300 flew west on the 23rd.
(Common) Blackbird...
Present throughout.
Fieldfare...
One was heard on the 23rd and two flew west on the 24th.
Song Thrush...
Seen regularly with a peak of eight on the 28th.
Redwing...
At least two flew north at first light on the 9th.
Mistle Thrush...
One or two were seen regularly.
(European) Robin...
Present throughout.
(European) Stonechat...
Single figures were seen regularly.Dunnock...
Present throughout.
House Sparrow...
Present throughout.
Tree Sparrow...
At least one, probably two flew over on the 10th. The last settled birds at The Swannery were way back in November 1990 (although there have been a very few overhead since then).
Grey Wagtail...
Up to three were seen regularly.
Pied Wagtail (White Wagtail)...
Present throughout with around 200 in the roost early in the month at least. All those seen well were of the British form 'Pied Wagtail'.
Meadow Pipit...
Present throughout with a peak of 50 on the 2nd and 4th.
(Eurasian) Rock Pipit...
One or two were seen regularly... |
| (Eurasian) Rock Pipit November 2016 © Steve Groves |
(Common) Chaffinch...
Present throughout.
(Eurasian) Bullfinch...
One or two were seen, or at least heard, regularly.
(European) Greenfinch...
Two on the 23rd were disappointingly the only ones seen, as there is usually an overwintering flock of around fifty present!
(Common) Linnet...
Seen regularly with a peak of 50 on the 1st and 11th.
Lesser Redpoll...
Ones and twos were seen, or at least heard, regularly from the 1st to the 14th.
(European) Goldfinch...
Present throughout.
(Eurasian) Siskin...
Around ten were seen on the 1st and five on the 11th.
(Common) Reed Bunting...
Present throughout. I'll leave you with another of Charlie's images...
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| A pair of (Eurasian) Teal November 2016 © Charlie Wheeler wheeler-photography |
December's sightings to follow shortly.
