Nethergong Birding

Birding at Nethergong on Saturday produced 50 species, some of which included 1 Greylag Goose, 7 Tufted Duck still in the ditches, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Common Buzzard, 2 Barn Owl, 2 Great spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 2 Sedge Warbler, 3 Reed Warbler, 6 Swallow, 2 Willow Warbler, 5 Chiffchaff, 5 Blackcap, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Stonechat, 1 Bullfinch, 1 Yellowhammer and 2 Reed Bunting. I made another visit this morning where I decided to walk the fields first to the West of the campsite. I normally walk the campsite first before everyone is up and about but luckily for me, I arrived at the main lake just in time this morning to find 2 juvenile Garganey (122) there, a patch tick for me. I initially saw a small duck fly up and land again on the far side and was stunned to see it was a Garganey. This was a species I doubted I would ever see here as most ducks on the lake are always Mallard. I could see the campers up and about with a few walking around the lake. I had to work fast and managed to grab a few shots before it called a few times and took off. It was then joined by a second Garganey which must have been hiding by the island and they then both flew off North. Had i have been a few minutes later and I suspect they would have flown off and I would have been none the wiser that they were even there. That's patch watching for you. Other birds noted included another female Tufted Duck with two very young ducklings in another ditch, 1 Golden Plover over calling, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Common Buzzard, 1 Barn Owl, 3 Great spotted Woodpecker, 3 Green Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 2 Raven, 6 Skylark, 8 Reed Warbler, 5 Swallow, 4 Willow Warbler, 5 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 9 Whitethroat, 1 Greenfinch, 5 Linnet, 4 Yellowhammer and 8 Reed Bunting. A few 'nocmig' sessions during the week have been very quiet indeed. Hopefully soon a few birds will be passing over to add to the year list. 

Juvenile Garganey

Raven