A coups of nights ago I also had 5 minutes to estimate the Starling flock size and I reckon it is over 2000 birds now.
Having been stuck at home and not been able to get out since Weds and knowing it was much cooler out, I was keen to have a recky for a Goosander early this morning.
I arrived near 08:00 and parked in the middle lay-by, quickly checking Sandford's Pochard flock, 80 and both male and female Red Crested Pochard present, the first time the male has shown this year. Just 5 more Pochard on Lavell's and water levels' still high, but more than a foot lower than the previous 3 days, meaning no problem getting to Bittern hide, even with walking boots. That said the path was slushy under the icy surface. Before I left I took a few shots of the ice next to the path to Bittern hide as it almost felt like a novelty seeing ice this winter.
I didn't linger at Bittern debating whether to go BSL or car park field first, I opted for the latter and was rather glad I did.
Scanning the landfill 08:40, nothing much really going on at first, then 5 minutes later I heard a cough over towards Lea Farm, noticing a chap over near the green building, then I looked back left, but looking back straight, there were 4 'Gadwall' that had risen up from the balancing pool and almost didn't bother binning them, but I got an instinct to check and realised 1 was a male Pintail, the two pairs split, the Gadwall went towards Lavell's, the Pintail pair headed off and finally dropped over Hurst Green Pit.....a great get back from Brian's pair on the 1st, perhaps even the same birds?
4 minutes later and scanning with my scope I picked up 2 large corvid types coming in from about 3/4 mile to the NNW, they had strong deep wing beats....I knew they were 2016's first reported Raven and I tracked them all the way in over LFGP, over Lea Farm and on SE, only circling twice as they got near.
Another 2 minutes after that and I picked up a Little Egret heading North over LFGP, brilliant I thought, 3 great year ticks, 1 new for the 2016 park year list too. I am 79 of 82, it is turning out to be a very good start to the year, still the rather tricky Bittern and Barn Owls to see and a much less troublesome CoaL Tit to bump into.
I headed off to BSL thinking a start to a day rarely goes this well, could the luck even produce a Goosander. I checked from the sailing club and near the sluice, but couldn't find one, plus most of the Wigeon got spooked by something. I decided to quit while I was ahead, feeling the new cold weather biting my finger tips and nose.
I am now also tinkering with how I present my blog, bold type doesn't quite make it obvious enough to show a year tick, so I think bright red will make it easier. Still have to add the year list in, which I will do. For me another exciting milestone looms as I am very close to my 50,000th blog view, so thank you to all of you who read and tell me you do and enjoy doing so.
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