Pete Lambert wrote today:

Disturbed a green woodpecker from the edge of the east channel at WM East as I arrived today. It flew into trees at WM East. Four gadwall in the channel north of the East Bridge, 3 males, one female. Walking along by the West channel, again heard ‘gip’ calls that sounded like water rail but didn’t see it. 2 redwings high W calling as I waited for a glimpse of the water rail. Sparrowhawk west over Lee Navigation as I walked down the towpath and 2 egyptian geese at the Centre (Droopy pair).

Nothing much on Clendish Marsh but 7 siskins flew NE at 08.47 calling, then 3 fieldfares went high W -without calling. Reached WM West where there was a grey wagtail on the concrete in Pymmes Brook by the path to Northumberland Park Station. Stopped there as I heard longtailed tits calling – found a goldcrest there and heard a chiffchaff calling behind me, but then heard a bullfinch calling from the trees at the channel. It flew up and went north a little way – a female bullfinch – but then flew off E still calling. Given the few records we get here, it’s likely this is the same female seen first just over a week ago.

Walking S from the Chalk Bridge I saw 3 little grebes on the Navigation and 2 in the channel as well. A single reed bunting flew NE calling over WMEast as I left – don’t seem to be many of these around at the moment on the Marsh. Finally as I walked out to Blackhorse Lane, a female goosander flew S by the side of the Lockwood Reservoir and came down at High Maynard Reservoir.

DMC

Pete Lambert wrote yesterday:

It was dry when I left home but began to rain as I reached WM East. Could see some gadwall feeding in the channel N of East Bridge, looked like 3 pairs. Siskin called overhead as I walked by the west channel but I couldn’t see it, but I could see the three fieldfare that flew calling high NW and on over WM West. Surprised to see a pair of gadwall in the channel south of the Green Bridge – was that eight gadwall?

Pair of egyptian geese at Centre (Droopy pair), then another pair in Pymmes Brook just south of bridge to Car Park. May not have been Little and Large, but the third pair. These have no distinguishing features that I can see. Will try and get photo next time. One redwing called from the bushes at the Car Park and flew out. Clendish Marsh very quiet, except for a chiffchaff calling from Pymmes Brook.

Rain stopped after an hour and on WM West I saw a sparrowhawk chased out of the poplars along the Lee Navigation by a crow. Then I heard a green sandpiper call and saw it come high NW over the pylon wires before coming down to Pymmes Brook. From the bridge at the Gasometer I could see it standing on the concrete.

From the Chalk Bridge I could see a little egret feeding in the channel NE of the bridge. Walking down the towpath, north of the Green Bridge I heard what might have been a water rail calling. It wasn’t giving the obvious squealing call but a call that I hear as “gip,gip”. This is more like some moorhen calls so I’m never completely sure about my ID until I see the bird. Stood on the Green Bridge looking north to where the calls were coming from but couldn’t see the bird. Did see three teal there (1 male). Walking home through WMEast at 9.48, suddenly saw four goosander come up over the east channel by the East Bridge and vanish north. A few minutes later, three of them returned and circled over the north end of the Marsh before disappearing behind the trees. Seven gadwall now in the east cahannel, four of them male.

DMC

‘Little and Large’ ‘Droopy’ Pair

Still windy this morning, but started well with a perched redpoll! Redpoll called overhead as I was walking towards the Sandpiper Bridge and came down by the Lee Navigation. Walked over the bridge and found it 2 or 3 metres away sitting in an elder. Best views I’ve had for sometime, as usual records here are hearing them overhead and catching a glimpse of the bird as it flies over.

After my mention the other day of no teal in the channel at WM East, today a male teal was cruising there, seen from the Green Bridge. Arrived at Stonebridge Lock to find two egyptian geese but this wasn’t Little and Large. Took photos and I’ll see if good enough to send to David Chapman (They are – See above DMC), but one has whitish head and drooping right hand wing, which is a bird I’ve seen before (and have named “Droopy” – not very original, but quite descriptive). I am guessing this is a different pair (the “Droopy pair” for short), rather than it’s Large with a new partner of Droopy – but who knows!

Few groups of redwings flying over. A group of seven SW calling and 2 SE calling, plus two other groups of small thrushes which didn’t call but I presumed were redwings (I’ve never recorded groups of song thrushes flying). 6 of these NW, then later 2 SW.

When I got to the Chalk Bridge over the Lee Navigation, on my way home, a female goosander appeared up from the channels east, then flew off high N over Banbury Reservoir. Going out from WM East over the East Bridge, I found 4 gadwall in the channel (2 male, 2 female), the first record this month.

Finally, I checked all the starlings flying overhead, trying to spot waxwings (they are said to have a similar shape in flight), but no luck. I’ve never found my own waxwings, only ever seen some that others have reported, so fingers crossed.

DMC