Sunday 22 November 2020

Whooper Swans

 Lade - mild, overcast, dry - A much calmer day weather wise on the local patch with barely a breath of wind today. As a result the wildfowl were widely scattered across both waters enabling easy counting, although only Coot and Tufted Duck reached three figures. On north lake yesterday afternoon at least 10 Mediterranean Gulls were amongst a couple of thousands roosting gulls, mainly Black-headed, while six Marsh Harriers headed towards roost sites at dusk. A Serin was found today by Sam P in the bushes on the beach opposite the Romney Tavern before flying off north, a cracking find and the first I can recall in the autumn here.  

  On Friday a pair of newly arrived Whooper Swans on ARC hinted at the coming winter, and spent the weekend commuting between the lake and the rape-seed fields opposite Lydd football club. This afternoon I joined CP at a location out on the Marsh where 15 Marsh Harriers came to roost at two separate reedbed sites. Also noted, a couple of thousand Fieldfares along the lanes en-route, a swirling murmuration of Starlings, a ringtail Hen Harrier, Barn Owl, Buzzards, Kestrels, four roosting Great White Egrets and several bats hawking insects. Water Rail, Cetti`s Warblers and Bearded Tits were all actively vocalising in the reedbeds.  

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