Could this be the same bird that wintered in 2021/22 finally settling on the Railway lake where it was last seen in March.
28th (Garden) male Blackcap (ringed) (5) last year`s bird.First seen in the garden on the 21st.
A female Blackcap was seen in the garden on the 30th.
31st (Garden) another male ringed aged (5).
Lapwing 9 Snipe 10 Redshank 3 Herring Gull 7 Teal 50+ Mallard 25 G C Grebe 1 Little Grebe 1 Cormorant 3 Grey Heron 2 Grey Wagtail 1.
On the 15th a Water Pipit was seen along the outflow,which runs past Bucket wood and a female Marsh Harrier flew north near streamside.
On the 13th,2 Raven were seen from the wood.
On the 7th,38 W F Geese passed over north.Lapwing cold weather movements have been reported and a high count of 99 along the river also on the 7th,was probably part of that movement.
View from Bucket wood.
After being absent for a few days,the drake Goldeneye has returned to the Little Alders lake.
Siskin drinking from a puddle after feeding in the Alders at the northern end of Brookland lake.
A nice drake Goldeneye and Red head Goosander were both seen on the small Alders lake this morning.The Goosander was probably the same bird that was found by Glenn yesterday on Brookland,as I could not see one there earlier.
Another year starts with very poor numbers of wildfowl present on the lakes.There were higher numbers at the end of last year in late October and November.I could only find two Pochard this morning for instance.A Firecrest was seen last week in the Country Park and Siskins have been present in reasonable numbers,twenty in one flock in the Alders at Brookland,Redpolls remain scarce.Along the river both singles of Green Sand and Common have been seen,along with two Redshank and one returning Shelduck.Teal number at least sixty.
What better way to start the New Year,with more Waxwings.Twenty one birds were present this morning.
