14 January 2022

Weather: Calm with clear skies, though some fog developed at dusk. All three lakes have ice covering, with only Langmere having a large section of open water. Ringmere is about 75% covered in ice, while Fenmere is completely frozen over.

 

Ringmere

Disturbance: None. 

Sightings from Ringmere:

Shelduck (4)

Shoveler (10)

Gadwall (2)

Wigeon (3 - 1 drake and two females)

Teal (71)

Coot (27)

Little Grebe (2)

No sign of either of the two Mute Swans or the Tufted Duck flock, which had been present yesterday. 

Two Shoveler on Ringmere

Coot on Ringmere

Sightings from Fenmere:

Moorhen (1)

+Water Rail (1)

The Water Rail was seen briefly yesterday feeding along the far edge of Fenmere, but not refound today (#105 for my East Wretham list).

 

Sightings from Langmere:

Greylag Goose (27)

Mute Swan (6 - three adults and three first-winters)

Egyptian Goose (2)

Shoveler (8)

Gadwall (37)

Wigeon (1 - drake)

Mallard (47)

Teal (71)

Hybrid Goose (1 - Canada x Greylag Goose)

Moorhen (20)

Coot (44)

Lapwing (20)

Black-headed Gull (8)

Herring Gull (6)

Yellow-legged Gull (4)

Lesser Black-backed Gull (398)

+Common Gull (2)

+Great Black-backed Gull (1 - first-winter)

Only a small gull roost this evening, with most gulls having left by 3pm. Up to 1,000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls were present yesterday evening, including a first-winter Great Black-backed Gull and two Common Gulls.

As with Ringmere, the Tufted Ducks appear to have moved off, as has the small flock of Pochards and a couple of the Mute Swans.

 

Possible first-winter Caspian Gull on Langmere yesterday

 

 

Rest of the reserve:

Stock Dove (2 - one heard singing near Ringmere)

Woodpigeon

Tawny Owl (1 - calling at dusk)

Long-eared/Short-eared Owl (1 - flying sout over Langmere)

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Jay

Jackdaw

Rook

Carrion Crow

Coal Tit

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Goldcrest

Wren

Treecreeper (1)

Song Thrush

Mistle Thrush

Redwing

Blackbird

Robin

Dunnock

Pied Wagtail

Linnet

Goldfinch

Siskin

+Woodlark (4 - flying east)

+Greenfinch (1)

The unidentified owl was seen from Langmere hide at dusk flying south at height over the lake, but unfortunately it was already too dark to make out any plumage details. 

The highlight yesterday was a flock of four Woodlarks flying east over the south end of Langmere, and only the second time I have seen the species at East Wretham. Seen shortly afterwards, the Greenfinch was only my third sighting.