Birds seen at Moor Green Lakes
during DECEMBER 2010

December was a cold month with periods of several days of snow and freezing temperatures, which has been hard on wildlife. A substantial amount of the lakes has been frozen, but constant activity by birds has ensured that there was some open water on each of the main lakes. 

Goosander numbers at evening roost on Grove Lake reached 118 on the 5th with 104 on the 7th and 84 on the 25th. Two male Goldeneye were present on and off this month. A pair of Red-crested Pochard arrived mid month and remained into the new year. Waterfowl counts on the 19th and 22nd recorded: 7 Great Crested Grebes, 22 Mute Swans, 414 Coot, 15 Teal, 65 Wigeon, 156 Gadwall, 24 Goosander, 2 male Goldeneye, 178 Tufted Ducks, 64 Pochard, 27 Shoveler, 31 Mallard, 42 Greylag Geese, 14 Barnacle Geese, 44 Canada Geese, 3 Egyptian Geese and 6 Cormorants.

Cormorant and Goosander were seen fishing on the river on the 10th, where the water is slightly warmer and ice free (due to processed discharge from the four major sewerage works up-stream!).

Three Snipe, 220 Lapwing recorded on the 5th. Green Sandpiper seen on the 4th and 10th; probably remained throughout the month. On 27th, two Curlew were seen feeding on the north bank of Colebrook Lake before flying off. These are the third record of winter Curlew for the site.

A Yellow-legged Gull with two Herring Gulls, five Common Gulls and 48 Lesser Black-backed Gulls loafing on the ice on 27th. There were 108 Black-headed Gulls at roost on the 7th. A colour ringed Lesser Black-backed Gull was found at Moor Green on the 23rd; this was ringed at Rainham Landfill site on the Thames in London on the 18th of December this year.

A Barn Owl was hunting in the winter sun on the 27th; being hassled by a female Sparrowhawk briefly. On that 10th a Tawny Owl was seen looking out of a hole in a dead tree mid-afternoon. It was seen several times after that. Owl food is more difficult to find in the cold and snow. Peregrine present the 27th. 

Stonechat present on 23rd, eight Linnets on Tern Island on 10th.

Winter Thrushes present in small numbers now that most of the berries have gone. Siskins and Redpolls always present somewhere in the Birch and Alders. Tits and Finches at the feeders - also regular Mallard hoovering up the dropped seed.

My unofficial count of species recorded for 2010 is 132, including the escaped Snow and Barnacle Geese.

As always, please report your own sightings on the record sheets in Colebrook Hide.

This Summary is also available on  www.mglg.org.uk

Report compiled by Bruce Archer

December 2009 sightings  >>>

December 2008 sightings  >>>