Elmley Marshes - January 2012

Reporting Your Sightings

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If there's a cold snap, there will be movements of birds on the reserve. More ducks, geese and swans will arrive from the continent, while many of the lapwing and golden plover will disappear further south and west. An extensive freeze up can empty the reserve of birds, only leaving the birds out on the Swale. Cold weather movements can produce some interesting records. Snow buntings can be found along the seawalls, often between Swale & Spitend hides; and Lapland bunting is always a possibility. Large numbers of skylarks and meadow pipits can be seen moving during periods of cold weather, although the rock pipits along the seawall are more sedentary. The Swale can be productive at these times, with divers, scarce grebes & sea-duck like goldeneye, eider and common scoter possible. Smew can turn up on the reserve as well.

The increased numbers of waterfowl act as a magnet to birds of prey, with peregrine and merlin in particular taking advantage.

23rd: 1 spotted redshank, 2 peregrine, 1 r-b merganser, 28 brent geese

22nd: 1 rough-legged buzzard (from Spitend), merlin, peregrine, 2 hen harrier

21st: 2 r-b merganser, 2 merlin, peregrine, sparrowhawk

20th: 2 spotted redshank, 1 buzzard, 1 sparrowhawk, 22 brent geese

16th: 2 peregrine, 2 stonechat, 16 white-fronts, 1 short-eared owl, 2 spotted redshank, 240 black-tailed godwit, 1200 dunlin, 900 shelduck, 18 avocet

15th: rough-legged buzzard (out towards Harty Hill), short-eared owl, buzzard, peregrine, 2 ruff

14th: 2 short-eared owl, 2 merlin, 2 peeregrine, 3 buzzard, 2 red-breasted merganser, 1 goldeneye, 40 fieldfare, 1 Cetti's warbler

13th: 10 white-fronted geese, 3 buzzard, 1 short-eared owl, 1 peregrine, 1 merlin

12th: 12 white-fronted geese

11th: 1 rough-legged buzzard, 1 buzzard, 2 peregrine, 3 merlin, 6 Bewick's swan, 32 white-fronted geese, 1 Cetti's warbler

8th: 1 rough-legged buzzard, 1 little stint, 1 merlin

6th: 3 peregrine, 2 stonechat

2nd: 1 rough-legged buzzard, 3 short-eared owl, 3 peregrine, 2 merlin, 1 buzzard, 2 sparrowhawk, 9 brent geese

1st: 1 peregrine, 1 merlin, 2 stonechat