Nethergong Birding

Despite the time of year where often birding can be quiet, it was pleasing on Saturday to see or hear 51 species and 62 species on Sunday morning. Highlights Saturday included 2 Greylag Geese, 4 Mandarin Duck (113) 3 young, were found in the now quite overgrown stream. A few years back I remember an almost same situation of finding some young Mandarin in the stream. I'm not sure where they breed but perhaps the adult brings the young up the stream to hide in the overgrown stream vegetation. There were 8 Swift, 1 Cuckoo, 7 Grey Heron, 1 Little Egret, 1 Barn Owl, 2 Raven, 5 Sedge Warbler, 8 Reed Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Stonechat, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Yellow Wagtail seen carrying food back to their nest, 1 Yellowhammer and 8 Reed Bunting. It was also interesting to find 5 Shoveler ducklings on the main lake which have obviously bred there or a nearby ditch looking at the size of the young. Sunday morning produced 3 Mandarin still on the stream, 1 Tufted Duck (114) was seen rising near the stream which begs the question as to whether they have young hiding in the stream like last year. There were 3 Swift, 3 Coot, 2 Lapwing. 1 Whimbrel flew calling towards Grove Ferry, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Common Buzzard, 1 Barn Owl, 1 Peregrine, 1 Ring necked Parakeet, 2 Jay, 1 Raven, 4 Sedge Warbler, 3 Reed Warbler, 12 Swallow, 4 Chiffchaff, 1 Garden Warbler, 6 Whitethroat, 2 Stonechat, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Bullfinch, 1 Greenfinch, 3 Yellowhammer and 3 Reed Bunting. 'Nocmig' recording at night continues to be very disappointing with only a Common Tern calling overnight during the week. It seems ages that I recorded anything decent but will no doubt persevere as something surely has to fly by at some point! A visit at during the week early evening to watch the Barn Owls provided a few shots. 

Barn Owl