Nethergong Birding

A couple of visits over the weekend to try and build the year list proved quite successful despite the gloomy weather still where I managed to add 12 species. Birds of note on Saturday included Greylag Geese (55) which could be heard calling in the dark from the Stour Valley. There were 99 Mute Swan, 15 Mallard, 2 Pheasant, 5 Feral Pigeon (56), 3 Stock Dove, 214 Woodpigeon, 7 Collared Dove, 1 Water Rail, 12 Moorhen, 2 Lapwing (57), 2 Snipe, 18 Black headed Gull (58), 13 Herring Gull, 1 Little Grebe, 25 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel (59), 1 Merlin (60), 1 Jay, 2 Raven ,2 Skylark, 5 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Long tailed Tit (61), 1 Goldcrest, 13 Redwing, 23 Fieldfare, 3 Stonechat, 1 Pied Wagtail (62), 27 Meadow Pipit, 4 Bullfinch (63), 3 Greenfinch (64) and 4 Goldfinch (65). 

An early morning visit yesterday in still very gloomy conditions produced 1 Grey Partridge, 2 Snipe, 1 Green Sandpiper, 30 Black headed Gull, 2 Common Gull, 165 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Common Buzzard, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 1 Merlin, 1 Peregrine, 2 Jay, 2 Raven, 2 Skylark, 1 Chiffchaff and 2 Cetti's Warbler. The highlight of the morning was finding a Cattle Egret (66) which was in the field just west of Nethergong bridge and then on the gate near the bridge briefly where I was able to obtain excellent views and get a few photos. This is the first time I have seen one on the deck here and continues to be a very scarce bird to get on the year list, Also seen were 12 Long tailed Tit, 30 Starling, 1 Mistle Thrush (67), 24 Redwing, 2 Stonechat, 4 Meadow Pipit, 7 Chaffinch and 1 Goldfinch. 

Cattle Egret