The two Slavonian Grebe were off Cockwood mid afternoon but no other news was received.
Friday, 23 December 2016
Thursday, 22 December 2016
Thursday 22nd December
The fem/imm Black Redstart was still at Langstone Rock, with four Chiffchaff and four Goldcrest on site. Elsewhere the two Slavonian Grebe were in the estuary and offshore there were five Red-throated Diver and 24 Great-crested Grebe.
Wednesday, 21 December 2016
Tuesday, 20 December 2016
Tuesday 20th December
Some counts from the hide included 100+ Grey and 29 Ringed Plover, whilst the family group of Carrion Crow continue to disturb and flush the roosting waders.
Grey Plover - Simon Thurgood
Ringed Plover - Simon Thurgood
Monday, 19 December 2016
Monday 19th December
With the fog lifting and flat calm conditions offshore two Velvet Scoter were visible from John's Watch with eight Eider (five female and three fw male), 41 Great-crested Grebe and 13 Red-throated Diver also present. In the estuary counts included 195 Grey Plover, 141 Knot, c130 Bar-tailed Godwit, 31 Sanderling, 17 Ringed Plover and two Shoveler.
Ringing News: Details have come back on the Pale-bellied Brent Goose seen last Friday; it was ringed in Iceland at Álftanes on 16 May 2014 and is a well travelled and well tracked individual.
It was at Strangford Lough, Co Down, Northern Ireland in Sep-Nov 2014, before being seen on the Fleet in Dorset in Nov-Dec 2014, returning north to Iceland by Apr 2015 via Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire in Jan 2015 & Dundalk Bay, Co Louth, Eire in Feb 2015.
It bred in Iceland in the summer of 2015 raising a single juvenile and repeated the same migration being at Strangford Lough in Sep-Oct 2015, The Fleet in Dec 2015 and Milford Haven in Dec 2015 before being recorded back in Iceland in May 2016.
This autumn it did it all over again and was at Strangford Lough on 23 Oct, on the Fleet on 26 Nov, at the Warren on 16 Dec and then in Pembrokeshire the next day!
The increasingly early return north is interesting and matches what is happening with Dark-bellied Brent Geese at Dungeness where birds have started moving back east the last four Decembers.
Ringing News: Details have come back on the Pale-bellied Brent Goose seen last Friday; it was ringed in Iceland at Álftanes on 16 May 2014 and is a well travelled and well tracked individual.
Pale-bellied Brent - Lee Collins
It bred in Iceland in the summer of 2015 raising a single juvenile and repeated the same migration being at Strangford Lough in Sep-Oct 2015, The Fleet in Dec 2015 and Milford Haven in Dec 2015 before being recorded back in Iceland in May 2016.
This autumn it did it all over again and was at Strangford Lough on 23 Oct, on the Fleet on 26 Nov, at the Warren on 16 Dec and then in Pembrokeshire the next day!
The increasingly early return north is interesting and matches what is happening with Dark-bellied Brent Geese at Dungeness where birds have started moving back east the last four Decembers.
Sunday, 18 December 2016
Sunday 18th December
Fog failed to lift all day so no counts were possible in the estuary and the continued presence of offshore had to be assumed. In the bushes the Siberian Chiffchaff was still around the First Pond, a Jay was in Dead Dolphin Wood and singing Little Grebe and drumming Great-spotted Woodpecker hinted at Spring.
Saturday, 17 December 2016
Saturday 17th December
Three Velvet Scoter flew into the bay mid afternoon, also offshore just 28 Common Scoter, a good count of 25 Red-throated Diver, a drake Gadwall and a Great Northern Diver. Counts from the estuary included 165 Grey Plover, 138 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 127 Bar-tailed Godwit, 120 Knot, 22 Ringed Plover, 22 Sanderling, 14 Greenshank and the two Slavonian Grebe.
Elsewhere a Siberian Chiffchaff was in the Entrance Bushes, a fem/imm Black Redstart was on Langstone Rock, the Dartford Warbler was on Warren Point, an adult Mediterranean Gull flew south and two Snipe and a Shoveler were on the Main Pond.
Wildlife News: A pod of 20 Common Dolphin were off the seawall early morning, only the third site record.
Elsewhere a Siberian Chiffchaff was in the Entrance Bushes, a fem/imm Black Redstart was on Langstone Rock, the Dartford Warbler was on Warren Point, an adult Mediterranean Gull flew south and two Snipe and a Shoveler were on the Main Pond.
Black Redstart - Dave Jewell
Wildlife News: A pod of 20 Common Dolphin were off the seawall early morning, only the third site record.
Friday, 16 December 2016
Friday 16th December
Six Pale-bellied Brent Geese in the estuary were new arrivals, one of them was ringed so we should soon know where they arrived from. Also in the estuary counts of 2300 Dunlin, 235 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 195 Grey Plover, 148 Redshank, 117 Bar-tailed Godwit, 66 Shelduck, 57 Knot and the two Slavonian Grebe. The roosting Dunlin were continually harassed and scattered by several Carrion Crow, one was eventually chased down in flight and was killed in front of the hide. Elsewhere a Dartford Warbler was on Warren Point, two Shoveler were on the Main Pond and single Red-throated and Great Northern Diver were offshore.
Wildlife News: A Peacock along the Dune Ridge was not unexpected given the unseasonal weather.
Pale-bellied Brent Geese - Alan Keatley
Wildlife News: A Peacock along the Dune Ridge was not unexpected given the unseasonal weather.
Wednesday, 14 December 2016
Monday, 12 December 2016
Monday 12th December
No news from today but the Shoveler were probably still on the Main Pond and no doubt several Blackbird were still around the apple tree along the back path.
Blackbird - Simon Thurgood
Shoveler - Lee Collins
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