Nethergong Birding

Birding from 06:45 on Saturday morning in the freezing dark until late morning produced 3 Woodcock into roost giving lovely silhouetted views against the sky, 102 Mute Swan, 1 Gadwall (62) on the main lake, 1 Water Rail, 2 Coot, c450 Lapwing seen in flight along with 26 Golden Plover (63), 1 Common Snipe, c185 Black headed Gull, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 3 Common Gull, c40 Herring Gull, 496 Cormorant flying over towards Reculver, 1 Great White Egret (64) seen initially feeding in one of the dykes before being seen later in fields with Mute Swans and 1 Grey Heron. There was 1 Marsh Harrier, 5 Common Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 110 Rook, 2 Raven, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 25 Redwing, 29 Fieldfare, 1 Bullfinch, 3 Meadow Pipit (65), 1 Kingfisher (66) and 2 Yellowhammer. Recording during the night produced 1 Snipe and 1 Tawny Owl (67) calling. A visit this morning early again until 09:45 produced 2 Woodcock into roost, 1 Little Owl (68) calling in the dark, 1 Water Rail, 43 Mute Swan, c300 Stock Dove, 65 Black headed Gull, 53 Herring Gull, 705 Cormorant, 1 Little Egret, 1 Great White Egret again in the dykes, 2 Grey Heron, 3 Common Buzzard, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 3 Green Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 2 Raven, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Long tailed Tit, 30 Fieldfare and 18 Meadow Pipit. A walk through the flooded fields produced 8 Common Snipe and good views of 1 Jack Snipe (69) as it flew up from near my feet. Not a bad weekend at all with a few new birds for the year. Weather permitting, I might try and get the recorder out during the night at some point. 

Great White Egret