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Saturday 5 April 2014

Garganey at Maple Lodge

I visited early morning after working a night shift and discovered parts of the reserve cloaked in light fog. From Rotunda Hide I heard my first Willow Warbler of the year. Making my way to the Shell Hide I sat quietly for a while watching the Common Pochard jostling amongst themselves. All of a sudden from the left a duck flew past heading down towards the Sluice Hide. Clearly marked was the diagnostic pure white superciliam of a wonderful male Garganey, my first for the year. I made my way down towards the Sluice Hide but could not find the bird again. Leaving the reserve I hoped that others might see the bird today.
A full list of species noted as follows:-
Little Grebe (1), Great Cormorant (1), Grey Heron (1), Mute Swan (pair), Canada Goose (pair), Gadwall (6), Garganey (1), Mallard (14), Common Pochard (22), Tufted Duck (22), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (2), Common Moorhen (4), Eurasian Coot (14), Black-headed Gull (pair), Stock Dove (1), Woodpigeon, Ring-necked Parakeet (1), Green Woodpecker (1), Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Common Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush (1), Cetti's Warbler (singing male), Blackcap (5 singing male), Willow Warbler (singing male), Common Chiffchaff (4 singing male), Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Common Treecreeper (singing male), Eurasian jay (3), Common Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, Reed Bunting (singing male).

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