Friday 26 August 2016

Edderthorpe, Monday 22nd to Friday 26th August

It's been much quieter since the excitement of last Sunday but still plenty of good birds to be seen. The rains on a couple of days this week have pushed the water levels up, particularly on Houghton and the mud area on Edderthorpe was about half the expanse at the end of the week from the beginning.
The goose flock has been rapidly building up and although it's possible to visit and see no geese when they are in the fields feeding, Canadas reached an all time high on Friday when 1177 along with 239 Greylags were counted. Dabbling duck numbers are also raising daily with Teal up to 265, Shoveler 156 and Wigeon 5. The four Garganey have been present all week and can usually be found on the water area closest to the layby (by the fence in the water). Greenshank are still seen daily with 3 in the area, 2 Ruff, the adult Knot was still present Monday, up to 4 Green Sandpipers and similar counts of Common Sandpipers, Black-tailed Godwits on a couple of days with 3 on Friday and a Little Ringed Plover all week. Water Rails are regular on Houghton. The Marsh Harrier was still present early in the week and a Peregrine is a regular visitor. A Moorhen with just hatched chicks was very late in the season.

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