Birds seen at Moor Green Lakes during OCTOBER 2010

Numbers of Grebes dropped during the month, with just 15 Great-crested Grebes and no Little Grebes recorded on the 28th.

There were 14 Mute Swans, 165 Canada Geese, 14 Barnacle Geese, two feral Snow Geese on the 28th. Egyptian Geese are always about, but no significant gatherings reported this month. However 11 Cormorants, 252 Coot, 114 Tufted Ducks, 32 Shoveler, 56 Gadwall, 94 Wigeon, on the 28th and 29 Pochard on 9th. 

An immature male Goosander arriving on the 16th is the earliest ever return date, the  previous earliest was 19th October last year. 

Buzzard, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk regular and Red Kite on 15th and two Peregrines  on 16th and 17th.

The first Water Rail of the winter was seen on the 7th. Snipe present all month with a maximum of nine recorded, but they are skulking birds and there were probably more present. Three Green Sandpipers all month, and a Dunlin from the 12th to 16th. Highlight of the month was the fourth site record of an Avocet, which unlike previous birds, stayed on the diggings from 11th to 17th, so was appreciated by many. Up to 95 Lapwing, which is down on previous years. 

Up to 61 Black-headed Gulls and 42 Lesser Black-backed Gulls on the 7th. A few Common Gulls present. A probable adult Mediterranean Gull seen briefly on 13th. 

A Barn Owl seen in the entrance of the box on 7th and 25th. Little Owls present in the usual locations. A Short-eared Owl present on the Manor Farm area from 15th to 18th.

The last Swallows I am aware of were on the 2nd, and last House Martins on the 17th. Meadow Pipits and Pied and Grey Wagtails have been present on the gravel workings. Fieldfares and Redwings arrived on the 18th. Stonechats present all month. 

The Ringing Group ringed three Blackcaps, 11 Chiffchaff and one Goldcrest as well as other birds on 2nd. 

A Crossbill flying over Grove Lake on the 7th is the first site report since 1999. Three Brambling on the 5th and one on 20th. Linnets, Siskins and Redpoll are congregating in the area and Bullfinches are arriving for the winter. 

My unofficial count of species recorded for 2010 is about 128, including the escaped Snow and Barnacle Geese.

Report compiled by Bruce Archer

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

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