The Bittern enjoying the sun after a freezing night pic @DD November brought a showy Bittern , the first since 2012, the fourth ever Yellow-browed Warbler and a remarkable one-day passage of Brent Geese. Both the Bittern and Yellow-browed were found on the same morning from the same spot by the same observer - CF - to rescue what had been, up to then, a pretty dull month. In all, 84 species were seen across November, four fewer than than last year while the two additions mean the annual total so far stands at 145 compared to 2024's record 147.
The Yellow-browed remained into December pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social Brent Goose are annual at the reservoirs but usually just single birds which drop in for a brief time during migration to rest. So the flocks picked up high going south on the 16th were very unusual. The first grouping of 70+ were seen by LB to be followed by more following the same track over the next 90 minutes. As different flocks were seen by different observers, it is difficult to say the number of birds involved but it is possible that as many as 200 Brents passed over the reservoirs.
It was a slow month for ducks. A single Shelduck made a one-day appearance on the 19th. The young drake Goldeneye, which first arrived in late October, stayed around until the 8th but no others were seen. Goosander are no longer regular visitors with the only records on the 12th and 13th while, unusually, no Wigeon were seen at all.
Only four species of waders were seen - three down on last year's total. The most unusual record was the second Grey Plover of the year which made a brief stop on High Maynard on the 19th during the cold snap. The same conditions also saw two additional Common Sandpipers join the wintering bird on the 19th & 19th while as many as 34 Lapwing arrived the same morning as the Brent passage on the 16th. Pairs were also seen on the 17th, 21st and 27th and a single on the 13th. Roosting Common Snipe were seen regularly in the pond in the middle of the East Warwick island across the month.
Birds of prey, apart from regular appearances by the local Peregrines, Sparrowhawks and Kestrels, were scarce with just a single Buzzard on the 17th and Red Kite on the 28th. A Rook, which remains very uncommon at the Wetlands, was seen by SD on the 21st while the largest number of Jackdaws was a flock of 25 going west on the 16th. Wood Pigeons also passed over in good numbers in the first half of the month with an estimated 1000+ going south on the 5th. Passage was also seen with Skylarks on the 8th, 9th and 12th.
The first Yellow-browed Warbler was only seen at the Wetlands in October 2020 with just two more records, including one caught by the ringing team, last year. CF heard the fourth calling near the Dragonfly Pond on the 21st as he was watching the Bittern he had found just an hour before. Unlike the Bittern, the Yellow-browed did hang around until the end of the month although it remained elusive and easier to hear than see, Two Firecrest were seen on the 1st including presumably a bird rung in October with a Siberian Chiffchaff the next day. Both male and female Blackcaps, which usually go missing in the winter months, were reported occasionally.
Stonechats are again wintering with a maximum count of five on the 7th. Winter thrushes remain scarce. The odd one was seen bird feeding around the reservoirs but the highest count of Redwing was 15 on the 5th with 25 Fieldfare on the 22nd. Nor was it a particularly good month for winter finches with four Redpoll on the 10th and a single on the 16th with the only Siskin a fly-over on the 28th.
DB @davidbradshaw1952.bsky.social
