Westhay Moor WeBS count
A fairly unremarkable count, zero count of Widgeon, Teal and Shoveler. Plenty of Greylags with goslings out on Farmland to the south of the reserve and a pair walking 8 youngsters along Daggs Lane Drove. Big surprise was a Black Swan which was on a pool adjacent to London Drove south of 30 acre Lake. Shortage of Cattle Egrets, I could only find 10, and these were in a place I wouldn’t normally expect to find them.
On the way home I stopped at Tealham and eventually found a Pair of Yellow Wagtails, they were flitting about and perching on some Brambles and wooden gate/fence rails in the far NW corner of the wet scrape field. Earlier in the day I bumped into Jeff Hazell who told me up to five had been seen by others including a “Channel” type.
Well done John, a very brave effort , the wind today was violent at times! A really worth while result .I spoke to Dionn W, who was doing a count on Saturday down near Long load and he was saying that the duck numbers on Kings Moor had dramatically increased. He got very wet then, but it wouldn’t have been anything like as windy!
Did the WeBS Count late and in unfavourable conditions today because I’ve been away for the weekend but lots of Duck, high counts of Gadwall, Widgeon and Shoveler. There is a massive mixed flock of Lapwing and Golden Plover “carpeting” the distant fields to the south of the reserve more or less opposite Oaks Drove, it wasn’t until a Marsh Harrier put up the entire flock that it was apparent just how many birds are involved, my numbers are conservative guesstimates. No Goosanders that I could find, unusual for December, and just a single female Pintail amongst a large flock of Gadwall and Widgeon in front of Lake Hide.
The main contingent of Cattle Egrets was a flock of about 140 opposite the entrance to London Drove on North Chine Drove
Count numbers were:
Canada Goose – 28
Greylag Goose – 19
Egyptian Goose - 2
Mute Swan – 87
Shoveler – 200
Gadwall – 428
Widgeon – 662
Teal – 15
Mallard – 170
Tufted Duck – 59
Pintail - 1
Water Rail – 3 (all heard not seen)
Moorhen – 3
Coot – 162
GC Grebe – 2
Little Grebe - 1
Cormorant – 68
Cattle Egret – 197
Great White Egret – 7
Little Egret – 1
Grey Heron – 1
Bittern - 1
Lapwing 3000
Snipe - 4
Golden Plover - 1000
BH Gull - 28
Similar story on Westhay Heath on Saturday 8th WeBS count. 2 Woodcock were the highlight but otherwise really quiet for November with just a few Teal and Wigeon the only ducks recorded. I also visited the Brue estuary this morning just before high tide and the only waders seen were 2 Redshank and 3 Turnstone in the Estuary and a very distant flock of Oystercatcher on Stert Island.
Thanks for the post John. Winter ducks are taking their time coming in, presumably mild weather to the north and east? Difficult to get an idea of numbers at Catcott not much in the way of surface water visible as vegetation is very high still.
Driving from Burcott road through the lanes to Westhay there was at least 300 cattle egrets with cattle and sheep yesterday
Did the WeBS Count a day early as it’s going to rain tomorrow. Highlight a Ring Necked Duck on 10 acre Lake, London Drove. Winter ducks have not arrived in any great numbers as yet and Egret numbers are well down, only 8 Cattle Egrets (another 5 at the west end of Tealham) in October last year I recorded 441and in November 130. Presume the GWE’s and Little Egrets have moved to the margins of surrounding empty reservoirs.
Scores were :
Canada Goose – 20
Greylag Goose – 74
Mute Swan – 92
Shoveler – 37
Gadwall – 132
Widgeon – 66
Teal – 5
Mallard – 96
Tufted Duck – 48
Ring Necked Duck - 1
Water Rail – 6 (all heard not seen)
Moorhen – 5
Coot – 128
GC Grebe – 4
Little Grebe - 1
Cormorant – 32
Cattle Egret – 8
Great White Egret – 3
Little Egret – 1
Grey Heron – 3
Lapwing 120
Kingfisher – 1
Herring Gull – 1
BH Gull - 1