Wildfowl were the order of the day at Connah’s Quay this afternoon with good numbers of Shelduck, Teal, Mallard and Wigeon on the bunded pools.
The Wigeon – numbering around six hundred – were incredibly nervous and alert and when not being spooked by fearsome predators such as a Spotted Redshank, Carrion Crow and a Kestrel, the flock grazed in a peculiarly manic and purposeful fashion – they must have had quite an appetite for some reason.
It is only speculation, but maybe after such a harsh winter many of the ducks are in poor shape and now it is a race against time for many to build up fat reserves before undertaking a punishing migration.
Other birds on the reserve included my first Stonechat of the year in Flintshire, feeding on the small strip of rough grassland at the back of the larger sheep field. It is only over the last three or four days that these little passerines have started to reappear at their traditional sites after being absent during the winter – perhaps they have just started to fan out and establish breeding territories.
The area around the west hide was quiet with the waders spread thinly across the mudflats – the notable exception being the Blackwits that were huddled together Penguin fashion at the river’s edge.
A scan across the marsh revealed an adult female Marsh Harrier – presumably the same bird seen at IMF yesterday – using the strong easterly wind to hover over the White Sands area – clearly in Wales and number 113 for my Flintshire list!
Connah’s Quay 23.02.10
600 Wigeon
65 Teal
40 Mallard
150 Shelduck
600 Black-tailed Godwit
1 Greenshank
1 Marsh Harrier (adult female)
1 Bullfinch
1 Stonechat
The Wigeon – numbering around six hundred – were incredibly nervous and alert and when not being spooked by fearsome predators such as a Spotted Redshank, Carrion Crow and a Kestrel, the flock grazed in a peculiarly manic and purposeful fashion – they must have had quite an appetite for some reason.
It is only speculation, but maybe after such a harsh winter many of the ducks are in poor shape and now it is a race against time for many to build up fat reserves before undertaking a punishing migration.
Other birds on the reserve included my first Stonechat of the year in Flintshire, feeding on the small strip of rough grassland at the back of the larger sheep field. It is only over the last three or four days that these little passerines have started to reappear at their traditional sites after being absent during the winter – perhaps they have just started to fan out and establish breeding territories.
The area around the west hide was quiet with the waders spread thinly across the mudflats – the notable exception being the Blackwits that were huddled together Penguin fashion at the river’s edge.
A scan across the marsh revealed an adult female Marsh Harrier – presumably the same bird seen at IMF yesterday – using the strong easterly wind to hover over the White Sands area – clearly in Wales and number 113 for my Flintshire list!
Connah’s Quay 23.02.10
600 Wigeon
65 Teal
40 Mallard
150 Shelduck
600 Black-tailed Godwit
1 Greenshank
1 Marsh Harrier (adult female)
1 Bullfinch
1 Stonechat
Until later.
Hi Paul,
ReplyDeleteAt the weekend I seen amongst other Common Buzzards a possible Rough legged Buzzard.
Location - by the pill box area on the way to Brimstage from the Storeton area.
I could not get close enough but the one I seen was very pale with a black barred white tail.
I wonder if you could put this information out on your website as I am fairly certain it was.
As I am currently at work all week.
It would be good if someone could look in this place and confirm my sighting.
Cheers,
Keith
Hi Keith - that's potentially some exciting news - I am going to have a look tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteAs for putting it on my blog, well you have already done that for me - but it looks from the Dee Estuary website that somebody has beaten me to it.
By the way, Keith, did you send the sighting to Richard Smith - I am interested to know if he has been using my blog to furnish his own website.
Many thanks Keith, Paul.
Hi Paul,
ReplyDeleteI did send info to Richard Smith as well.
I think it is important that someone confirms my sighting.
Hope I am right!!!
There are 4 buzzards in that area.
Go get em Paul.
Cheers,
Keith