This week on the Marshes

Peter Lambert wrote:

 Monday 24 January 2011
Two female goosander feeding north of the weir from the East Bridge as I walked in, then a male pheasant along the west channel just south of the Sandpiper Bridge.  This one had a trace of a white collar but broken by black, so different from the two males I saw earlier this month.  Still teal and tufted ducks in the channel then 3 gadwall on the Lee Navigation (2 females, 1 male).  Single egyptian goose at the Centre – has s/he got tired of their companions?

Nothing much of note round Clendish Marsh but then at Wild Marsh West saw my first greylag geese of the year as four flew south over WM East towards the Reservoirs.  Finally 17 fieldfare in the trees along the Lee Navigation.

Wednesday 26 January 2011
A dark and gloomy morning with drizzle at times.  Disturbed two female goosander feeding in the channel just north of Sandpiper Bridge, 3 gadwall on the Lee Navigation again.  Twelve small thrushes seen in the trees along the Lee Navigation (while I was on WM West) looked the right size and shape for redwings, but they’d gone by the time I got round to them.  Otherwise only a green sandpiper standing on the concrete in Pymmes Brook near the Gas Bridge.


DMC