PIED AVOCETS arrive with a deluge of rain -
Monday 16 February
From around 10 o'clock onwards today, it
rained all day, bringing with it 3 passage PIED AVOCETS locally...
First off, 8 year-old Tom Bacon and his
father Gary stumbled upon one on the main marsh at COLLEGE LAKE BBOWT late
morning before a pair made landfall at TYTTENHANGER MAIN PIT in the
afternoon
Following Gary's phone call, David
Hutchinson & 1 quickly arrived, confirming their suspicions - the bird
showing well from the Octagon Hide. No fewer than 32 Common Snipe were also
present on the marsh, as well as the first Common Redshank of the year, along
with 18 Mute Swan, 215 Wigeon & 2 Teal. Up to 3 WATER RAILS were showing
well in the first bay as you walk down to Octagon, while the Deep Pit held 3
Red-crested Pochard, a Little Grebe and the first Great Crested Grebe of the
year. At the feeding station, 20 Chaffinch and 2 Reed Bunting were
noted.
At TRING RESERVOIRS, highlight at TRINGFORD
was a pair of COMMON SHELDUCK, while on WILSTONE RESERVOIR, the first-winter
female GREATER SCAUP was still present, 8 COMMON GOLDENEYE (including a single
drake), an impressive 184 Shoveler, 170 Wigeon, 30 Gadwall, 100 Teal, 12 Common
Snipe in flight & 140 Common Starlings
The PIED AVOCET pair at TYTTENHANGER GP
remained on view until 1700 hours at least, at the end of the spit with 450
Lapwings
