An enjoyable count yesterday, skylarks & meadow pipits singing, even a chiffchaff too, very Spring like. Nice to see the breeding waders returning - at least 12 territorial lapwing already. Totals for the main part of the reserve were:
Little
grebe, 2; Cormorant, 3; Grey heron, 19; Little egret, 2; Mute swan, 8; Feral
goose, 1; Greylag goose, 47; Canada goose, 126; Wigeon, 100; Gadwall, 2; Teal, 202;
Mallard, 61; Tufted duck, 2; Goosander, 2; Moorhen, 2; Lapwing, 37; Jack snipe,
2; Snipe, 26; Curlew, 35; Redshank, 3; LBB gull, 1; Herring gull, 4; Buzzard, 16;
Red kite, 13.
Another sign of Spring was the "purring" of mating/courting frogs at several locations; also a number of predator droppings and pellets with bits of frog or frog spawn in them. I even saw a crow fly past with an unfortunate and still live frog dangling from its beak, little front legs waving away!