Bird numbers increase as fishing stops.

Sunset over Thornton.

With the end of the trout fishing season the numbers of wildfowl are increasing and I am confident that a rarity will appear before the years end. There were 188 Lapwing, 60 Wigeon, 50 Teal, 40 Gadwall and 4 Shoveler. The Pintail and juv. Whooper are also still off Wood bank.

Second Winter Med. Gull.

A couple of poor shots of yesterdays Med. Gull. in the failing light.

New patch record!

Today I broke my Thornton patch year record. On the 12th Nov. I had reached 123 with Peter the Pintail, who along with Harold the Whooper did the decent thing and stayed around for todays Webs count. I had reached this total last year, but this afternoon I went to 124 with a second winter Med. Gull. Dispite the early fog Dave and I were able to do a reasonably accurate count. Wigeon numbers were up at 55 as were Teal, 54 and Gadwall, 28. There were also 63 Lapwing.

Common Redpoll.

At last a Common Redpoll caught today. See the Charnwood Ringing group site for more images.

Carduelis flammea has paler tips to the G.C., and is greyer than Lesser Redpoll, C. cabaret.

I managed to see Harold the Whooper out of the water for a few moments. He is not rung, but does have two legs!

Redshank elegance.

Two Redshank were present today feeding around the lake margins.

Looks abit odd in this photo, but it is a Redshank.

The juv. Whooper is also still present although it was seen to fly off at 5pm yesterday in the direction of Groby pool. Today the Mute Swans seemed to be giving it less grief.

South east winds bring rewards.

Juvenile Whooper Swan.

Juvenile Marsh Harrier.
I scoped this bird and was able to see its pale head and throat.

At 4.30 pm a juvenile Marsh Harrier was quartering the reservoir and the surrounding woods. It eventually flew behind the woods and may have gone to roost.

Scanning the reservoir I noticed a juvenile Whooper Swan. Initially it was being chased by an adult Mute , but eventually it was left alone and seemed quite settled off Wood Bank.
There is also a juvenile Mute on the res . but it is much darker than the Whooper, with the obvious bill differences.

Adult Male R.C.Pochard

Three adults and an eclipse male R.C.P. were on the res. on 17th. There was also a good count of 70 Goldfinch. On the 18th 4 Grey Partridge were added to the year list and on the 19th a single Snipe was feeding at the top end.