1 January 2002
Highlights of one day's birding by Steve Dudley
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PBC News 1 January 2002 Highlights of one day's birding by Steve Dudley |
Starting at 8am at Woodwalton and finishing at dusk at Eldernell (and taking in Orton BP, CEGB Res, Bluebell wood/River Nene, Star Pit, Deeping High Bank, Deeping Pits, Langtoft/Baston Pits, Maxey pits, Dog-in-a-Doublet - and points in between!) I amassed a very respectable 90 species. Far more than I imagined I would get when I set off in the dark in the morning and finding many water bodies completely frozen up!
Highlights include:
6+ Woodcock at Eldernell (inc one on the ground in broad daylight)
Chiffchaff at Eldernell
8+ Water Rail (3 sites)
3 Green Sands (2 sites)
2 Kingsishers (2 sites)
5 Goosander (near Maxey pits)
3 Grey Wags (3 sites)
12 Redshank (2 sites)
3+ Barn Owls (Eldernell)
6+ Short-eared Owls (eldernell)
2 Hen Harrier (m&f, Eldernell)
12 Red-crested Pochard (Langtoft/Baston pits)
3 Tree Sparrows (Eldernell)
Coots leaving Eldernell Pit at dusk in the realisatin that they will probably end up frozen in if they stayed the night!
Birds I missed (things I could have got plus a few things seen by others) include Redwing, Grey Patridge (seen at two sites in the previous week), Golden Plover, Peregrine, Merlin (both falcons seen at Woodwalton Fen in the afternoon), Shelduck (seen previous day in the Deepings), Med Gull (seen previous day at Star Pit), Willow Tit (seen at Woodwalton in the afternoon), Tawny Owl.