Wildlife sightings for 22nd November 2017
1 Bittern - main lake N shore (seen from Peacock Tower)
1 Pintail - grazing marsh
1 Goldeneye - reservoir lagoon
5 Snipe - grazing marsh, main lake, wader scrape
7 Fieldfare - flew over heading S/SW
3 Redwing - flew over heading S/SW
1 Chiffchaff - South route
October/early November bird highlights: Common Sandpiper, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Snipe, Little Egret, Great White Egret, Red Kite, Peregrine, Buzzard, Kestrel, Short-eared Owl, Kingfisher, Ring Ouzel, Yellow Wagtail, Stonechat, Linnet, Wheatear, Firecrest, Brambling, Skylark, Water Pipit, Crossbill, Bullfinch.
Migrants are still dropping in or passing through during November – any species is possible but look out for Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Chaffinch, Song Thrush, Redwing and Fieldfare in numbers. The fences around the marsh are a good spot for some of these passerines (like Stonechat), while the muddier parts of the marsh, main lake and wader scrape may have some waders (like Dunlin or Snipe). Tree blocks with a good mix of Willows may hold some interesting Warbler species or Firecrest, often mixed in with more common Tits and Goldcrests. Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal and Shoveler continue to arrive for the winter ahead. The first Redpolls and Siskins arrived early in October, followed by the first Redwings.
