Birds in Lincolnshire - The Big Freeze

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	Birds in Lincolnshire The Big Freeze - January 2002
	The Big Freeze. The recent spell of freezing weather has had a marked effect upon the birdlife of the county. As most people will appreciate birds are now suffering due to the intensity of the freeze and the icing over over most not coastal water bodies. High counts of waterfowl on the Humber clay pits at the start of the week have been drastically reduced as the pits became locked in thick ice. Up to January 3rd the following were counted on the Barton-Barrow Haven pits: Little Grebe 96, Great Crested Grebe 18, Shoveler 76, Gadwall 72, Pochard 112, Tufted Duck 162, Ruddy Duck 34, Smew 1 and Coot 788. By the end of the week most birds had either moved onto the Humber or had become stuck in ice holes in the pits or died. Several Little Grebes were dead buy the weekend with only 42 found on the 5th. Coot and Ruddy Ducks resorted to the Humber where they were targeted by Great Black-backed Gulls which killed several Coot. Other waterfowl also moved onto the estuary with 3000+ duck off New Holland mainly Pochard, Tufted and Goldeneye. New birds included 2 Bewick's Swans on the Humber and Jack Snipe. The future for some species looks bleak. In spite of a recent thaw the ice on the pits is so thick that it will take several days to thaw. Of six Kingfishers found in the ice free dykes at least two were killed by passing cars in the first few days. Water Rails are walking out on the ice and looking distinctly ill at ease. The local Bittern has survived this far but a few more days could well see it succumb to the weather. The wintering Siberian Chiffchaff at Water's Edge appeared to have either died or moved on as do the wintering Stonechats. Many waders are looking in a bad state as the inter-tidal areas have been frozen in recent days. Graham Catley Coots around ice hole in pits 4th January 2002 © Graham Catley Coots around ice hole in pits 4th January 2002 © Graham Catley Part of a group of 30 Little Grebes locked in a small hole in ice at Barrow Haven 4th January 2002 © Graham Catley Ruddy Duck flock on Humber 4th January 2002 © Graham Catley
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