Tottenham Marsh Thursday 18 Nov

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