First visit to WOW

The first shift in WOW was a cold but calm Thursday morning (8th) with a rising tide. The reserve had been completely frozen on Monday but was now only frozen round the edges. As per usual most of the interesting birds were over on the far side so photographs are more scenic. We hit 34 species on the reserve itself, and I added a further 17 around Kinnegar. The count was similar to what we had been recording before Christmas. We had shelduck, gadwall, teal, mallard and shoveler. There was a small wigeon flock but it flew out before I saw it. Waders included curlew, black-tailed godwit, redshank, lapwing and three snipe. Gulls were restricted to common, black-headed and herring gull. The feeders gave all four tits - blue, coal, great & long-tailed and three finches - goldfinch, chaffinch and greenfinch. There were all the usual residents in varying number including coot, moorhen, hooded crow, magpie, woodpigeon, greylag goose, pied wagtail, cormorant, robin and blackbird. The local buzzard put in an appearance and diligent work with the scopes turned up three song thrush, a stonechat and a redwing feeding on the bank below the fence on the far side. 34 species is above par for winter if the feeders are operational so we can't really complain.

Iced up WOW

Mallard

Moorhen

Shelduck Island

A look over the Lough on a reasonably calm sea added eider duck, great-crested grebe, goldeneye, guillemot and black guillemot. The usual 12 brent geese were grazing on the grass.

 Kinnegar  itself had an almost full tide and a few dog walkers, so the beach only added meadow pipit and  turnstone. The lagoon had a lot of waders, ducks and gulls- but not wigeon! I added mute swan, little grebe, tufted duck, bar-tailed godwit, oystercatcher, grey heron and lesser black-backed gull. There were a couple of rooks in the area but the icing on the cake was a jay feeding in the grass at the far end of the lagoon. 

What was also good was the fact that we had quite a few visitors including a gentleman from Gloucestershire who had never seen a hooded crow and was delighted to get good views. I thought it was worth a picture. 

Must pose for the English visitor

Blue tit near a feeder

The last couple of visits have added wigeon, great black-backed gull, red-breasted merganser, dunlin, linnet, sparrowhawk and knot.

2026
78: Razorbill

79: Knot

NDCP

42: Razorbill

WOW

51: Meadow pipit

52: Wigeon
53: Great black-backed gull
54: Red-breasted merganser
55: Dunlin

56: Linnet

57: Sparrowhawk

58: Knot