Wednesday 31 October 2012

Brandon Marsh :: 30 October 2012

It had been some time since we managed to get up to Brandon Marshes. Just too much going on at work and at home. A beautiful day, school half term and the parents visiting, were all good reasons to make the short journey up. We started as usual at the Badger Tea Room; baguettes, paninis and coffees all round. Then boots on and off we went.

The paths around the reserve were remarkably dry with only ocassional muddy areas. In the sun the temperature was perfect although it could be cool in amongst the trees.

What was noticeable was the number of winter wildfowl that have returned the the pools. Unfortunately the Egyptian Goose seemed to have left and we didn't manage to see any pochard. We did have flyovers from what looked like redpoll but as weren't sure they didn't make it onto the sightings list. We also came across some sucks with rather sharp white markings around the bill - we wondered whether they might be scaup but consensus on Birdforum was that they were still most likely.

The day's sightings (33) included:magpie, wood pigeon, feral pigeon, great tit, dunnock, robin, blue tit, Brandon Marsheschaffinch, nuthatch, greenfinch, moorhen, kestrel, long tailed tit, fieldfare, blackbird, cormorant, redwing, jay, carrion crow, coot, mallard, mute swan, shoveler, greylag goose, lapwing, canada goose, wigeon, tufted duck, teal, black headed gull, common gull, gadwall, snipe.