A
dreary morning in the hide at Beddington was enlivened by the company of Magnus
A and Christian C. The mound and Hundred Acre were given cursory looks, too.
Highlights included single first-winters of Caspian and Yellow-legged
Gulls on the landfill site. There was some wildfowl value, the best being a
female Pintail, along with two of
both Wigeon and Shelduck. Four Water Pipits
were knocking around, two Water Rails
and two Cetti’s Warblers were vocal
and a Green Sandpiper and a Chiffchaff were also nice to see. The Black Swan seemed quite at home.
We
couldn’t figure out why literally no large gulls and very few Black-headeds and Commons pitched down on the lakes. Normally, hundreds are brushing
up in the water at any one time while the landfill is operating and there are
even usually quite a few loafing around the lakes on a Sunday morning when
there is no tipping. We did, however, notice at least six dead gulls... Other
waterbirds were simply going about their usual business. Odd!
|
♂ Shelduck and ♀ Pintail |
|
first-winter Yellow-legged Gull with Herring Gulls |
|
adult ♂ Pochard |