Saturday, January 17, 2009

Saturday 17th January

Just avoided getting soaked on arrival as a very heavy shower passed through, glad I wasn't a few minutes earlier. What a difference a week makes, from arctic to early spring weather wise. Fingers, now ice free, is beginning to show signs of life with Kingfisher, Water Rail, Little Grebe (3, 5 more on the navigation channel), Shoveler (2f), Mute Swan (2) and Mallard. EN had a couple of Teal.

On the Main Lake there were at least 37 Shoveler when I arrived but numbers decreased through the morning with some moving onto Fingers. Pochard numbers were up to 55 (5f) and there were 8 (2f) Tufted Duck mixed in. 20 Cormorant were basking up by the sailing club. Only spotted a couple of Great Crested Grebe.

3 Drumming Great Spots this morning (Fingers, Beach and Main Lake Hide).

Late news

Ringing on Weds 14th produced 21 new & 22 re-traps of 8 species.
Gt. Spot - 1 r/t, Dunnock - 1 + 1 r/t, Robin 1 r/t, Goldcrest 1, Long-tailed Tit 4 + 3 r/t, Blue Tit 5 + 8 r/t, Gt. Tit 9 + 8 r/t, Chaffinch 1.

Best bird was a male Long-tailed Tit that was ringed 8 Years & 3 months ago in October 2000. This is only 5 months short of the national record.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Sunday 11th January

A quick wander around Fingers this morning as the thaw started. Female Sparrowhawk in the fallen Willow opposite Kramer hide and a Kingfisher by the Steps were the highlights.