November 2007 Bird Report

The scene of winter birds is well established now.

A Little Egret arrived around the 6th and has been seen most days from then on. Cormorant numbers have increased to 27 in the Grove Lake Island roost.

The usual Canada Geese flocks seem to include diminishing numbers of Barnacle Geese and sometimes the 3 Snow Geese. A maximum of 87 Egyptian Geese and 19 Graylags were seen this month.

Numbers of Teal and Shoveler has risen recently to 70 and 25 respectively. I don’t have accurate counts but estimate that there were 250+ Wigeon and up to 50 Gadwall by month end.  Goosander numbers have risen in the last week with 15 gathering to roost on Grove Lake on the 29th. Two smart male Goldeneye were displaying to each other on Grove Lake on the 15th. I am expecting a few Pintail in December, so watch out for them as well on Grove Lake.

Buzzard, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk were seen regularly. A male Peregrine was present for a few days in the middle of the month spending much of its time on the electricity pylon south of Horseshoe Lake. It could be the same bird that spent much of its time on the same pylon in February and March this year. Little Owls are regular and I saw the Barn Owl in its box on the 11th.

The Water Rail has continued to be seen from Colebrook Hide. There are probably several around but are less likely to be spotted elsewhere.  Lapwing numbers continue to vary from day to day; my maximum count was 235 on the 23rd.  A report of 70 Golden Plover on 30th is, I believe, a new site record for this species which seems to like the habitat of the new workings. Up to 4 Green Sandpipers at the beginning of the month, but I haven’t seen any since mid-month. Snipe present all month and a possible Curlew heard on 2nd.

Lesser Black-backed Gulls predominate in the overnight roost and afternoon gatherings on the new workings with a few Yellow-legged Gulls, Herring Gulls and Common Gulls. I have the impression that the Black-headed Gulls present during the day are roosting elsewhere.

There could be as many as four pairs of Stonechat wintering in the area. Finch and Thrush numbers don’t seemed to have increased since last month, but all the common winter finches are present. I came across a small Greenfinch roost of 24 birds by Horseshoe Lake on the 29th.

Bruce Archer