Monday 20th October 2014

Another excellent selection of birds seen around various locations today, sightings come from John Olley and myself;

Castle Lake - 21 Mute Swan, 400 Pink-footed Geese over south, 600 Greylag Geese, 5 Bar-headed Geese, 10 duck species including 3 Pintail, 2 female Goldeneye, 1 female Goosander, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Little Egret (with another 2 on the River Stell at the same time), 100 Golden Plover, 1100 Lapwing, 5 Snipe, 3 Redshank, 2 Green Sandpiper, 1 adult Great Black-backed Gull.

Low Hardwick - 7 Cormorant over together east, 2 Common Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 6 Snipe over west, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Stonechat (locally scarce), 1 Chiffchaff, 3 Goldcrest, 2 Willow Tit, 13 Redwing.

Fishburn Lake - very quiet with only 6 Mallard seen.

Some pictures from today;

One of the two Stonechat which were together at Low Hardwick this morning before being chased off by a Reed Bunting.

The five Bar-headed Geese at Castle Lake this afternoon.