Cress Marsh 2022

30th October
Weather: Overcast, warm, S wind
Time on site: 09:20-10:20

Following the recent heavy rains most of the scrapes now have some water in them (even if it is only a puddle) and the water level in the lagoon is looking good. Noted on a brief visit to site this morning were:

Blackbird    1
Buzzard    1 - flying over the "Pylon scrapes"
Carrion Crow    3
Fieldfare    14 - all perched in trees by the car park
Goldfinch    24 - flock feeding on one of the islands in the lagoon
Grey Heron    1 
Kestrel    1 - hunting over the "Field scrapes" area
Lapwing    18 - two in the field adjacent to South Marsh Lane and sixteen flying over the site
Linnet    7 - flock feeding on the "Field Scrapes"
Magpie    5
Mallard    6 - all on the "Field scrapes"
Meadow Pipit    2
Mute Swan    1 - on the lagoon
Pheasant    2
Pied Wagtail    2 - feeding on the lagoon shore, in front of the hide
Redwing    2 - both feeding on berries in the hedgerow that borders the site next to the railway line.
Reed Bunting    1 - perched on power lines, along the path to the hide
Starling    3
Stock Dove    1 - feeding on one of the islands in the lagoon
Teal    30 - all on the lagoon
Wigeon    2 - both on the "Field scrapes"
Woodpigeon    200 
Wren    1
Yellowhammer    1 - perched in Hawthorn bush, along the path to the hide.
 

23rd October
Weather: Heavy rain, warm, SE wind
Time on site: 09:50-13:05

A wet visit to site earlier today found the following present:

Black-headed Gull    21 - all on the lagoon
Blackbird    1
Buzzard    1 - perched on electricity cables along the main path to the hide
Carrion Crow    1
Common Sandpiper    1 - feeding along the lagoon shore
Dunlin    4 - dropped onto the "Field scrapes" during a period of particularly heavy rain
Dunnock    1
Egyptian Goose    3 - all on the lagoon
Gadwall    3 - one on the lagoon and two on the "Field scrapes"
Goldfinch    50 - flock feeding on one of the islands in the lagoon
Green Sandpiper    1 - feeding on the lagoon shore
Herring Gull    3 - all on the lagoon
Linnet    60 - flock feeding on the "Field scrapes" area of the site
Magpie    3
Mallard    12 - ten on the "Field scrapes" and two on the lagoon
Meadow Pipit    5 - all on the "Field scrapes" area of site
Mute Swan    2 - both on the lagoon
Peregrine    1 - perched on the Power station chimney
Pheasant    2
Pied Wagtail    5 - all feeding in front of the hide
Reed Bunting    1 
Shelduck    1 - on the lagoon
Starling    45 - flock on the "Field scrapes" area 
Teal    99 - sixty-nine on the lagoon and thirty on the "Field scrapes"
Woodpigeon    9
Roe Deer    2 - male and female on the "Field scrapes" area of site.
 

16th October
Weather: Sunny, warm, S wind
Time on site: 13:40-14:50

A visit to what turned out to be a very quiet Cress Marsh this afternoon found the following present:

Black-headed Gull    5 - all on the lagoon
Carrion Crow    2
Cattle Egret    1 - star bird of the afternoon! Wasn't on site when I arrived, but spotted amongst the herd of cattle as I walked back to the car. My first one at Cress Marsh.
Goldfinch    20 - feeding along the path to the hide
Kestrel    1 - hunting over the "Field Scrapes" area of site
Teal    25 - all on the lagoon
Woodpigeon    8
Roe Deer    1 - running across the "Field Scrapes" area of the site

9th October
Weather: Sunny, warm, S wind
Time on site: 11:35-13:00

A visit to site earlier today found the following present:

Carrion Crow    5
Common Sandpiper    2 - both feeding along the Lagoon shore
Goldfinch    30 - flock feeding on plant seeds in the "Field Scrapes" area of site
Grey Heron    1 - at the back of the lagoon
Kestrel    1 - hunting over the "Pylon Scrapes" area of site
Lapwing    7 - all on one of the islands in the lagoon
Little Grebe    1 - on the lagoon
Magpie    3
Mute Swan    2 - both on the lagoon when I arrived on site, then flew off towards Healing village
Pheasant    2
Pink-footed Goose    1 - lone bird still on the "Field Scrapes" area of site
Robin    1
Sparrowhawk    1 
Starling    30
Stonechat    2 - a pair perched on the fence line along the path to the hide.
Teal    52 - all on the lagoon
Woodpigeon    10
Wren    1

 

26th September
Weather: Overcast, cool, NW wind
Time on site: 16:35-17:15

A brief after work visit to site found the following present:

Goldfinch    50 - highly mobile flock, feeding on plant seeds around the site
Green Sandpiper    1 - feeding along the lagoon shoreline
Kestrel    1 - hunting over the "Field Scrapes" area of site
Mallard    1 - on the "Field Scrapes" area
Pheasant    4
Pied Wagtail    2
Pink-footed Goose    1 - lone bird "hunkered" down on the "Field Scrapes" area
Shoveler    3 - all on the lagoon
Teal    77 - all on the lagoon

Roe Deer    2 - both on the "Hide Scrapes" area of the site.

25th September
Weather: Overcast, cool, NW breeze
Time on site: 13:50-15:20

A visit to site this afternoon found the following present:

Buzzard    3 - all soaring over the site
Carrion Crow    2
Common Sandpiper    1 - feeding on the lagoon shore
Gadwall    3 - all on the lagoon
Goldfinch    60 - very mobile flock feeding on plant seeds around the site
Grey Heron    1 - juvenile, hunting in the lagoon
Kestrel    1 - hunting over the "Hide Scrapes" area of site
Linnet    1
Magpie    2
Mallard    2 - on the lagoon
Robin    1 - singing from within the bushes next to the car parking area
Shelduck    1 - on the lagoon
Shoveler    9 - all on the lagoon
Snipe    1 - feeding on the shoreline of the lagoon
Sparrowhawk    2 - male hunting along the hedge row that runs along the railway line next to the site. Female over trees at the back of the site.
Starling    30 - flock following the herd of cattle, on the "Pylon Scrapes" area of the site.
Teal    84 - all on the lagoon
Woodpigeon    3

Roe Deer    1 - feeding on the "Hide Scrapes" area of the site