Operation Greylag

21^st Jan.  Perhaps with temperatures so low today our operation could have also been named ‘Operation Brass Monkey’.  The operations name was simply coined because as yet, I had not seen a Greylag Goose in 2019 and so was today determined to do so.

Lapwings on ice.

 We began at Big Waters where much of the water was frozen and we found that the small hide has all the security of a bank but providing a little more comfort than the last time I entered it.  It offered good views of the flock of Lapwings on the ice, and a few other waterfowl including Wigeon and Teal.  A single Grey Heron stood vigil at the side of the pool and a Jay flew in front of the far trees.  Bullfinches, in particular, had been active when we arrived at the car-park area.  Grey Partridges were heard in the fields and on seen on our return walk.  The more spacious hide offered us sightings of more waterfowl including Gadwall and Goldeneye, along with Canada Geese in the fields, Common Buzzard, another Jay in flight and the call of Water Rail.  Two Roe Deer offered a nice sighting as they wandered around the edge of the pond.  The feeding Station was well attended and visitors included the usual high numbers of Tree Sparrows, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Willow Tit Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Reed Buntings, and Yellowhammers et al.

Lapwings.

All in all, Big Waters was quiet but not as quiet as our next port of call, Prestwick Carr.  As Sam said at the time we do seem to pick the coldest areas to visit on cold days and today Prestwick Carr felt desolate.  We hardly saw a soul and birds were very scarce except in the vicinity of the feeders.  We did have some very nice sightings of Willow Tit in the hedges along the ‘bumpy road’, and a Great Spotted Woodpecker showed itself briefly.  The fields held only goats, horses and sheep and the quietest part of the walk was as we tramped up past the sentry box although a flock of Golden Plover did fly overhead.  Sam heard a distant Greylag although I didn’t.  On our return walk along the ‘bumpy road’ (I’m sure this road has been stretched) we heard Fieldfares and saw three or four of them in the hedge-way.  Another Common Buzzard was seen once we were back in the car and on the road, and Kestrel had also been seen.

I finally caught up with Greylag at Holywell Pond, a flock of at least one-hundred and fifty of them and we watched as they took flight in small skeins and took to the field next to the pond.  I wondered if they were lifting as extended families.  We later saw the flock rise again, possibly returning the short distance to the pond.  There was very little else at the pond, so whilst you may not think Greylag are anything to get excited about I enjoyed the sighting anyway, and they are in fact rather attractive birds.  A pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers had entertained us at the feeding station.

Greylag Geese at last

As we walked through the silent fields we did see a large flock of Pink-footed Geese towards the coast, rising in the distance.  Having again noticed the scarcity of birds in the hedges we did come across a flock of Linnet and a flock of at least seven Reed Buntings, but sadly not the hoped-for Bramblings, a species we had watched here last winter in some numbers.  We didn’t enter the dene but instead ended our walk at the pathway that leads along between dene and fields which give us good sightings of calling Treecreepers and Nuthatches.

So, overall a bitterly cold day and a seemingly quiet day.  I say seemingly as we still managed to see at least fifty-six species of bird, and our first Roe Deer and Rabbit of the year!  It had been good to be out and about and re-acquaint ourselves with local areas, and we had walked a few miles.