Sunday 4th January: Local birding

 This morning we were leading a walk at Widewater Lagoon for WOW, the conservation group who help manage this local nature reserve. There was a great turnout, with over thirty people attending.

The day got off to a great start, with lots of activity on the sea as everyone was arriving, causing a real flurry or excitement. A shoal of fish offshore attracted good numbers of cormorants, snake-like heads held aloft as they drifted together. Amongst the throng were smaller numbers of auks, predominantly Razorbill as far as we could tell. But the star birds were diving gannets, causing many gasps of delight and ‘Wow!’ as they plunged headfirst into the water. 

Gannets (Amanda Glinsman)

On the beach,  a group of Turnstones blended into the shingle , but we got the scopes on them and everyone enjoyed good views, with the orange legs really standing out on a bright, sunny day.

Turning our attention to the lagoon, we were able to point out both Herring and Black-headed Gulls, a useful reminder how even these common birds can be of interest to complete beginners when seen at such close range. Coots were also here, and the Goosander bobbed sleepily on the water, looking in need of a good haircut, coppery head glowing in the sunshine.

Goosander, f

On the east lagoon, a group of fluffy Little Grebes sheltered under a bush, looking very endearing with their powder-puff bottoms! And finally, to the delight of all, a Kingfisher appeared, posing helpfully on a fence for excellent scope views, plus a superb fly past, demonstrating the lightning speed, iridescent colours and low over the water flight path so characteristic of this dazzling species. A brilliant finale to the event!

Walking home from here at high tide, I noted many of the regular waders hunkered onto the remnants of saltmarsh at the centre of the RSPB reserve, including a couple of Curlew, and two grey Plovers, including our regular ‘white-headed’ bird, with its own characteristic head markings. A cluster of Redshank huddled here too, together with a Greenshank, all new birds for my annual  list.

Late afternoon, Tim and I took a riverside walk, now at low tide. A Little Egret loitered in a pool beside a boat in front of Ropetackle, and a Grey Heron stood motionless the other side of the railway bridge. Downstream, a mixed flock of small waders foraged on the mudbanks - we counted around 135 Dunlin and about 20 Ringed Plover. Just a handful of Lapwing were dotted around the banks, a disappointingly low tally of this local specialist, whose numbers have plummeted in recent years.

By the pumping station, now in poor, late afternoon light, we found an accommodating Black Redstart, which proved very approachable, and was a great bird to finish the day with.

Black Redstart