Wednesday 1 February 2012

Gadwalls

RSPB reserve - 0900hrs - v cold, sunny, ne5 - A nippy old morning with a bone-chilling wind whipping in off the sea forming small waves on ARC/New Diggings. From the causeway road a decent selection of wildfowl on ARC included 2 Pintails and 12 Goldeneyes amongst the Shovelers, Wigeons, Teals and 6 Dunlins.
At least 300 Gadwalls were also enjoying the weather and I reckon there must have been over 500 scattered across the pit. Smart birds are Gadwalls and they were not always this numerous, as I recall from the days when I used a brass telescope, did a paper round and lived on Mars bars...
Elsewhere around the reserve the Great White Egret was on the fields at Boulderwall and a Raven `cronked` over. Burrowes had another pair of Pintails and 8 Shelducks but I couldnt find any Smews.
Also checked out the plover flocks at Cockles Bridge and Lydd Airport for the Dotterel but could find no sign of it.
                                           Gadwalls - ARC

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