Well for starters there were 46 Tufted Duck. There were 54 a couple of days ago, but not an easy duck to count, as they never keep still long enough, continually diving down in search of food. Today there were 9 Gadwall. There were lots of Mallard about and the Mallard x Indian Runner duck is still present. No sign of the pair of Shoveler and do we have 2 male Pochards! As I walked around the lagoon adjacent to the A419 and looked into the lagoon between the two islands, there was a drake keeping very much to himself. However as I made my way round to the path behind the housing estate there was a very "tame" drake Pochard that followed me down the lagoon. A bit of a mystery. Are there 2 birds!
The lone Great Crested Grebe was around the North Island and to my surprise there were a pair of Little Grebes along the bank of the South Island. Such a busy little bird, diving at every opportunity and then moving along a bit before diving down again. One thing I did notice was they way they always retracted their feathers just before diving. One minute all puffed up, next minute slimline. I can't believe its taken me 48 years to notice that!
A pair of Little Grebes working their way along the bank. They are also known as Dabchicks. Quite fluffy as they swim about on the surface, but if you look closely, each time they dive down, all their feathers are retracted to make them slimline for swimming under the surface. Apologies for sound quality, it might have been sunny, but it was quite windy.
Other birds about on the water were Coots, Moorhens, 70 odd Black-headed Gulls and 8 Herring Gulls.
Around the banks a few Blue Tits pairing up, Long-tailed Tits moving through the trees with a few Great Tits and Goldcrest accompanying them and overhead a Sparrowhawk spiralling above the lagoon.
Here are a few images from today:
Still just the one Great Crested Grebe
A pair of Little Grebe hastily make their way to the island, under the watchful eye of a Coot.
Now these three drake Tufted Duck have lovely mauve sheens to their heads.........
4 pairs of Gadwall and now another drake.
More gulls - an adult Herring Gull comes into land.
I'm going for 2nd winter, though the saddle is quite grey!
From left to right and I am open to suggestions, but I reckon 2nd winter, 1st winter and 2nd winter
1st winter Herring Gull.
A lot easier to ID a Sparrowhawk surveys the Lagoon from above.
And something else keeping an eye on me, one of a few Grey Squirrels around the lagoon
Birds Recorded: 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Little Grebe, 6 Mute Swan (resident pair, 3 juveniles and 1 cob),, Canada Geese, Mallard, 9 Gadwall (5m, 4f), 46 Tufted Duck (25m, 21f), 1 possibly 2 drake Pochard, 1 Sparrowhawk, Moorhen, Coot, 71 Black-headed Gull, 8 Herring Gull (3 adult, 2 2nd winter, 2 1st winter and a juvenile), Wood Pigeon, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch.
Plus 2 Grey Squirrels