12 members attended the meeting starting at 10.00 on a breezy overcast day. The first noticeable birds were 15 Little Egrets. A Great White Egret was seen by an early arriving member before 10.00 but left soon afterwards. A juvenile Garganey was dabbling in the water below the viewing screen before settling down to sleep on an island. 101 Curlew were on the grass at the far side of the main lake with a large number of Greylag geese and a few Canada Geese. A Buzzard was seen perched on a post near the Tanfield hide and a Sparrowhawk had caught a Starling and landed on the grass. On the lake were 10 Little Grebes one of which had a small chick on it’s back, one well grown Great Crested Grebe juvenile, two Mute Swans, Tufted Ducks, Teal, Mallards and Coots. Feeding in the shallow edges there was one Black-tailed Godwit, three Ringed Plovers, a Redshank, a Common Sandpiper and eight Snipe. A large number of Lapwings were on the grass with the geese and curlews. A Stock Dove dropped in for a quick drink before flying away. On the walk to the North hide we heard a Chiffchaff. At the North hide there were 12 Little Egrets on the grass and perched in the willow trees. On the lake there were two Mute Swans, 40+ Gadwall, three Wigeon and a small number of Mallard and our first Moorhen. A large number of Jackdaws and Rooks were on the grass fields around the lake. On the return to the car park we saw two Linnets near the dragonfly pond.
We then drove to the Lingham car park for our lunch before walking to Flask lake. On the lake were five Great Crested Grebes, 18 Tufted Ducks and eight Mute Swans with only one cygnet. The muddy sandbar is a regular Lapwing and gull roost. There were four adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls and three juveniles, several Common and Black-headed Gulls, one adult Shelduck and three juveniles. A Herring Gull flew past and a Buzzard was seen in the far distance.
We then walked to the Reed bed hide across the causeway. A Green Woodpecker was heard and then seen and a female Marsh Harrier was seen flying near the reed bed before flying behind the trees.
At the hide we again saw the Marsh Harrier and eventually an Osprey showed flying over Flask lake before flying overhead and out of sight. Ospreys are seen here on a regular basis at this time of year.
Looking over Kiln lake from the causeway there were numerous Mallards and a Little grebe plus a family of Mute Swans. One of the cygnets was nearly all white compared to the others which are a grey colour. This is what is known as a “Polish” colour morph (see photo) The first one I have ever seen. And finally a Blue Tit was added to the list, seen on the causeway. Small birds were very noticeable by there absence today.
The species total for the day was 50.
Mike Smithson
