Monday sightings

Pete Lambert wrote yesterday:

No gadwall north of the East Bridge today, perhaps the group that were here have moved off now that most water is unfrozen. While I was standing on the Sandpiper Bridge, a male goosander flew high over the Lee Navigation, then went down to the Banbury Reservoir. A short time later, a female went similarly high over WM East. At about the same time a green sandpiper called from the east and I saw it come up and go south over the Marsh towards Lockwood Reservoir. Two male pheasants flew east from across the channel and landed on the East Marsh. Both had completely dark necks without white collars. Four redwings flew up from the trees along the west channel calling, circled overhead, then went off west. A little egret flew north over the Navigation, then from the Green Bridge I could see six teal (four males displaying at two females) and two shoveler – the female and eclipse male seen here before.

Down near Stonebridge Lock there were two pairs of egyptian geese again – Little and Large by the Centre, and Droopy pair on the barge just SE of the Lock.Nothing much on the west side of Clendish Marsh, but at the SE corner, I heard a goldcrest calling from Pymmes Brook. Found it – pecking at the metal railings round the channel – but also saw a chiffchaff, which was searching at the lip of the channel for food. Both these were the first sightings in 2011, earlier I’d only heard them calling as I walked round. By the slope in the channel near the bridge to the lock, there was a female gadwall feeding with the mallard.

At Stonebridge Wood I heard a goldcrest calling again and I found my second of the day, near the pond. Then when I reached the Orchid Meadow I disturbed a green woodpecker. This was the first I’ve seen this year, my last sighting was on 6 December. It flew off SW.

At WM West there was another song thrush singing, making four singing this morning. A male reed bunting flew up into the tree calling, before flying off high NE. From the Gas Bridge, there was a green sandpiper in the channel as well as both grey and pid wagtails. As I walked towards the Chalk Bridge, a lapwing called and looking up I saw it fly high north. On the walk south down the towpath I found two gadwall feeding – a male and a female, but not together.

DMC