December 2005

CLIFFE MARSHES

Cliffe 03 & 04/12

One always wishes for good weather for the WeBS count weekend, and this month was not a disappointment. Saturday produced a couple of showers but Sunday was calm and sunny with just enough occasional cloud cover to be easy on the eyes. Good numbers of waders roosted on the Reserve with 4588 Dunlin and 332 Grey Plovers being counted, both maximum counts so far this winter. The attentions of a Peregrine ensured that the pack was shuffled on a regular basis, enabling a Knot and Little Stint to be sorted from the throng. The 1139 Lapwing that were in the area were also disturbed but soon settled, although the flock of Golden Plover departed leaving only two behind. There were good numbers of Teal present on the Saturday, with 197 on the Ski Pool alone, but the bulk of them had gone by the Sunday, at least one departing in the clutches of the Peregrine. West Point overlooks the whole area so this is a useful vantage point from which to count species, such as Little Egret, Goldeneye and Tufted Duck, which are mobile during the day. The latter have been almost absent from the Reserve so far despite record numbers being noted locally this winter, so the 4 seen on the Radar Pool may be the precursors of many more. Only two Little Egrets could be spied but the Goldeneye numbers were up again this week, with 11 present, including a single drake on the Radar Pool. The trail bikers were absent on Saturday but were back Sunday afternoon. But every cloud has a silver lining as they flushed a flock of 30 Linnets from the Creek Road. They would probably have been missed otherwise. The area of glasswort adjacent to the wader roost on the Flamingo Pool held 35 Skylarks that flew up to reveal a smaller lark with them. It did not look short tailed enough to be a Woodlark but the flock dropped back to the ground and access restrictions made further investigation impossible. Such are the frustrations of birding!!

CBG

SWANSCOMBE MARSHES

Swanscombe Marshes 4/12

Following a successful trip to see the Sociable Plover at Rainham in Essex, I decided to check out Swanscombe. There was a superb adult Yellow-legged Gull and a second year bird sitting on one of the boats. The Cetti's Warbler was still vocal near to the old Sewage works and 4 Rock Pipits near the jetties. Seven Turnstone were calling and flying, this remains a regular site for this species this far up the River Thames. A lone Shoveler was on the pool.

Barry Wright