January 2010 Bird Report

Two days into the New Year the temperature dropped and a foot of snow fell. The snow flattened the Bramble clumps used by small birds for food and shelter. The lakes were mainly frozen over for 2½ weeks. About a quarter of Colebrook North remained clear of ice because of the 100’s of birds using it. A small area of Grove remained open and Horseshoe and Colebrook South were completely frozen over.

The immature Cormorant from Essex, seen in November wearing an orange ring “CJX”, was seen on 30th along with 21 other Cormorants. 2 Little Egrets regularly. No sign of the Herons nesting yet this year.

Maximum waterfowl counts on various dates: 8 Mandarins, 7 Great crested Grebe, 16 Barnacle Geese, 54 Greylags, 249 Wigeon, 127 Gadwall, 32 Teal, 73 Shoveler, 29 Pochard, 281 Tufted Ducks, 52 Goosander (on the 4th), 2 Goldeneye and 339 Coot. A pair of Pintails was present on Colebrook Lake on the 23rd to 25th.

Kestrel reappeared after the snow had gone; Sparrowhawk and Buzzard were around all month. Two Barn Owls present on Manor Farm, one can often be seen in the entrance of the nest box during the day. The Little Owls often seen sunning them selves, particularly in the trees south of the paddock adjacent to the car park.

Common Snipe and Water Rail were seen on the lake margins. A Green Sandpiper returned on the 21st after the ice had gone. Up to 137 Lapwing throughout the month.

Gull numbers have been reduced by the ice and snow, Up to 50 Black-headed Gulls 27 Common Gulls, just a few Lesser Black-backed Gulls.  A Great Black-backed Gull and a Yellow-legged Gull were present on the 16th.

A pair of Stonechat present on the 2nd. Skylarks moving through on the 17th. Grey Wagtailes along the river lately. The numbers of thrushes has dropped, but regular Blackbirds, Song Thrushes and Redwings on the paddocks. Nuthatches are resident on the peanut feeders on trees just south of the car park. All the common finches are present; many around the feeding station near Colebrook hide. Bullfinches (heard more often than seen) are resident along the path between the car park and the river. Flocks of 50+ Siskins and Lesser Redpolls can be found feeding in the Birch and Alders along the river.  Reed Buntings are still present at the feeding station.

John Hodson has done a sterling job keeping the feeders going throughout the bad weather.

My unofficial count of species recorded for 2010 is about 80, including the escaped Snow and Barnacle Geese.

As always, please report your own sightings on the record sheets in Colebrook Hide or send them to Ian Brown, the Moor Green Bird Recorder.

Bruce Archer