Monday 19th
Webs count at work this morning. Water levels had risen over the weekend so my count from Reedbed and Main Hide was reduced to just the Main Hide due to the paths under water. No land to be seen across the whole of the reserve which meant that the birds were well spread out increasing the challenge of an accurate count.
Started counting from the south wing hide (don't like looking through glass with a scope!) and while I started with the distant birds around Reedbed, Debbie started with the Pochard in front of the Main Hide. Unfortunately a couple of volunteers started cleaning the Main Hide windows and so set the birds off and they moved to the north of the hide and we had to follow!
Highlights of the count were two Goldeneye and over eight hundred Wigeon in our area.
Full count for area covered:
Black Headed Gull: 12
Black tailed Godwit: 70
Common Gull: 1
Coot: 59
Gadwall: 22
Goldeneye: 2
Great Black backed Gull: 1
Greylag: 7
Herring Gull: 3
Lapwing: 21
Lesser Black Backed Gull: 1
Mallard: 72
Pochard: 430
Shelduck: 2
Shoveler: 5
Teal: 26
Tufted Duck: 17
Whooper Swan: 7
Wigeon: 881
Tuesday 20th
Back to work this morning for the Winter Swan Count so up at 05.30 and in place by 06.30 covering from the railway bridge to Four Balls Farm. On arrival could not hear any swan calling in the Four Balls area but could hear them towards the railway bridge at Pymoor. A quick change of location and was in place before the first light. As the light increased groups of Whoopers could be seen in the area and so I was able to start counting before they started to flight.
Thankfully the weather was not too breezy or cold and no rain and the swans took their time before moving out.
Total count
Whooper Swan: 784
Bewick's Swan: 4
After a stop for breakfast Annie and I set out to do the arable count. In the area that I covered a total 0f 442 swan of which four were Bewick's.
