Liden Lagoon

There I was thinking I was going to be home bound, when there was a break in the weather. However as soon as I got to the Lagoon, down came the snow again, not enough to put me off though.

The Lagoon

  As I got out of the car 50+ Goldfinches and half-a-dozen Siskin were in the Alders by the car park (opposite Barnmoor Close).By the time I got my camera ready they were gone.  Fortunately they were back after I’d walked around the water for an hour. 

Goldfinch

Siskin

About a quarter of the water was frozen and there were a good 150+ Black-headed Gulls standing on the ice. In amongst them were a surprising number of Common Gulls with at least 7 recorded.

5 Common Gulls, Herring Gull
and far right Black-headed Gull

Herring Gull with two Common Gulls
and Black-headed Gulls

The only large gulls were 6 Herring Gull, one of which had found a Swan Mussel. 

Fresh clean white headed Herring Gull

Herring Gull with Swan Mussel

 Also about were the two resident Mute Swans with their two Juveniles in tow, several Canada Geese and a good twenty or so Mallard. There were no Goosanders but I did come across a drake Pochard behind the islands. 

Drake Pochard

Other birds on the water and ice were Moorhen, Coot and a Grey Wagtail. 

Grey Wagtail

 In the trees and hedgerows were Woodpigeon, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, House Sparrow, Starling, Magpie and Carrion Crow.  One other bird seen was a Meadow pipit as it flew east overhead.