2 March 2011

Visit from 06.50 til 08.45, temp slightly up on yesterday at 5c, much cloudier with a slight breeze.

First stop was the boating lake to count the Goosanders, between Nick and myself we managed 68 and with three on the main lake this gave us a record total of 71 birds, other birds on here included the usual pair of Great Crested Grebes and a pair of Tufted Duck, a couple of Siskin flew over calling and a single Starling flew over, my first at Westport this year, on the main lake another 29 Tufted Ducks, 4 Pochard were later joined by another and a single Lesser Black-backed Gull with another 6 seen flying south over the gas works, as we walked towards the nature reserve a couple of Buzzards were seen high over towards Bradwell Wood, the nature reserve was rather quiet with Song Thrush and a couple of drumming Great Spotted Woodpeckers being the highlights, on the gas works a couple of Stock Doves and Nick had a distant Sparrowhawk, onto the sewage works and nothing much here except for a single Jay and a pair of Bullfinches.

Back at the main lake and most of the Goosanders had now moved to the main lake with 68 present, 3 Mistle Thrushes were along the canal side of the main lake, a single Common Gull was in a small flock of Black-headed Gulls a couple of Chaffinches in the trees near the visitor centre and 'Sammy' was feeding around the old beach area, I met up with Pete Lunt who had also had another 5 Goosander still on the boating lake as well as the 68 on the main lake, a quick check confirmed this and hence another record count of Goosander at Westport with 73 present this morning, lastly as I left Westport a Redwing flew over and landed in the trees at the side of the canal.

Latter this morning Dave Kelsall smashed the goosander record with 80 on the main lake

Below are some of the many photo's I've been sent by Steve Seal and Pete Lunt while my computer has been off line, these will also be found on the slide show at the beginning of the blog.

Sammy Returns by Steve Seal

Pheasant by Pete Lunt

Kittiwakes by Pete Lunt

Male Goosander by Steve Seal

Pair Goldeneye by Steve Seal

Pheasant by Pete Lunt

Common Gull by Steve Seal

Avocet by Pete Lunt from last year

Goosanders by Steve Seal