Wednesday 9 February

Weather: Overcast, with some drizzle. Light westerly breeze.

 

Wretham Heath

Disturbance: The below is without comment. A couple of scrambler bikes caused some disturbance to the birds on Langmere.

 

Sightings from Ringmere:

Mute Swan (2)

Shoveler (15)

Gadwall (21)

Mallard (9)

Teal (64)

Tufted Duck (6)

Moorhen (2)

Coot (11)

Little Grebe (5)

The Little Grebes were being quite territorial, with one pair chasing off an interloper for some distance across the lake.

Sightings from Langmere:

Mute Swan (5 - three adults and two first-winters)

Egyptian Goose (2)

Shelduck (11)

Shoveler (21)

Gadwall (21)

Wigeon (1)

Mallard (63)

Teal (86)

Tufted Duck (14)

Moorhen (14)

Coot (32)

Little Grebe (1)

Lapwing (1)

Black-headed Gull (570)

Common Gull (3 - first-winters)

Lesser Black-backed Gull (93)

Not much new on Langmere, but interesting to see the first few Black-headed Gulls having almost complete black heads.

Rest of the reserve:

Canada Goose (1 - Stanta)

Greylag Goose (1 - Stanta)

Egyptian Goose (14 - Stanta)

Stock Dove (2)

Woodpigeon

Lapwing (c120)

Buzzard (3)

Tawny Owl (three or four calling at dusk)

Great Spotted Woodpecker (2)

Green Woodpecker (1)

Jay

Jackdaw

Rook

Carrion Crow

Coal Tit

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Woodlark (1)

Skylark

Long-tailed Tit

Goldcrest

Wren

Treecreeper (1)

Starling

Song Thrush

Mistle Thrush (3)

Blackbird

Redwing

Robin

Stonechat (2)

Dunnock

Pied Wagtail

Chaffinch (1)

Linnet

Goldfinch

Siskin

Yellowhammer (1)

Rabbit

Grey Squirrel

Lots of song activity around East Wretham this afternoon, including a Stock Dove by Langmere, Mistle Thrush by Ringmere and a Woodlark singing south of Langmere as well. The pair of Stonechats were present along the Drove east of the A1075 on Wretham Heath.

The far northwest corner of the reserve gives a limited view over part of the Stanta firing range and is always worth a quick scan.