It was a miserable grey start to the day, which did clear up for awhile before the clouds retuned.
Main highlight today had to be the 1000+ Canada Geese (could well have been double that), which flew in from the north-east and took up every available bit of water they could find on the reserve. Talking to the locals, they all said they had never seen such numbers before. It was quite a sight.
The full list of the 53 bird species I recorded, are listed below, with three firsts for the year: A Ruff , 2 Kingfishers and astonishingly a Snipe. The latter, I can't believe I didn't see or hear one last Winter. Where have I been!!
On the way home 2 Jays flew across the road in front of me at Wyke Regis.
Mammals Recorded:
Grey Squirrel
Brown Rat
Birds Recorded:
1 Little Grebe
7 Cormorant
1 Great White Egret
Little Egret
10 Grey Heron
1000+ Canada Geese
Mallard
Gadwall
Teal
Shoveler
Tufted Duck
Water Rail
Moorhen
Coot
Lapwing
5 Dunlin
1 Ruff
4 Snipe
Bar-tailed Godwit
Black-headed Gull
Mediterranean Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
2 Sandwich Tern
Wood Pigeon
2 Kingfisher
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
50+ Swallow
Meadow Pipit
Pied Wagtail
2 Grey Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
4 Stonechat
Blackbird
Song Thrush
Cetti's Warbler
10+ Chiffchaff
15 Bearded Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
50+ Swallow
Meadow Pipit
Pied Wagtail
2 Grey Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
4 Stonechat
Blackbird
Song Thrush
Cetti's Warbler
10+ Chiffchaff
15 Bearded Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
Reed Bunting
(53 species)
Plus at Wyke Regis:
2 Jays
A lot of Canada Geese
And a short video of the Sandwich Terns
Bees Recorded:
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Wasps Recorded:
European hornet (Vespa crabro)
Ted:
Ships Today
2 Jays
One of the 7 Cormorants on the reserve.
Just the one Great White Egret seen today
Here are a few Grey Heron photos.
I counted at least..........
...........ten birds. No doubt there were many more in the reserve.
A lot of Canada Geese
Just a handful of the Canada Geese that arrived late morning.
In the background are 3 Gadwall, with a Snipe in the foreground.
Here are 3 Snipe
Same again, more Gadwall at the back, with a "white" Ruff centre and a Lapwing at the front.
Here's a short video of the Ruff feeding.
A drake Teal having a good old scratch
In the centre a Black-tailed Godwit with Black-headed Gulls in front of it.
Two Sandwich Terns come into land with Black-headed Gulls and a Mediterranean Gull for company.
And a short video of the Sandwich Terns
Bees Recorded:
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Wasps Recorded:
European hornet (Vespa crabro)
Ted:
Whoops I forgot I had the flash on. A spooky dog.
Ships Today
Beyond the reserve, out in Weymouth Bay, is the Bermudian Passenger Ship "Aurora" anchored in Weymouth Bay. More on this vessel Here.
