This covers the area from 250 yards downstream from Bull Beck, & upstream past the shingle bank to approx 200 yards beyond it + across the river opposite Mears Beck covering the nearest 250yds or so of the fields. Did 16 visits, but with two the encroaching dusk beat me to it & I couldn’t count properly!
Goldeneye: Jan 3rd = 6; 12th = 6; 18th = 8; 21st = 7; 27th = 1; Feb 8th = 3; 12th = 2; 26 = 3; none so far in March
Goosander: Jan 9th = 2; 12th = 10; 27th = 5; Feb 7th = 2; 8th = 5; 12th = 4; 19th = 3; 26th = 2; March 3rd = 1; 7th = 2 (+ 2 downstream at the Aq Bridge)
OC: Jan 12th = 7; Feb 2nd = 2; 12th = 2; 26th = 3; March 3rd = 5; 7th = 7
Redshank: Jan 12th = 3; 21st = 1; Feb 7th = 1; 26th = 11; March 7th = 1
L. Jan: 12th = c60; 21st = c300; 27th = c300; Feb 12th = 7; March 3rd P; March 8th = c35
Curlew: Jan 21st = c40; 27th = c200; March 3 = P; 8th = c180
Greylag: Jan 12th = c80; Feb 12th = c110; 19th = 7; March 3rd = c130; 7th = c150; 8th = c40
CG: Feb 19th = c260; March 3rd = c110; 7th = 9; 8th = 11
Starling: frequent small flocks; c200 on Jan 21st the biggest
Mallard: 10-20 always present, sometimes with a few wigeon
L.Grebe: 1 on Jan 9th & on Jan 21st
Heron: Always around – 1 on 2 days & 2 on 2 other days; L Egret similar: 2 on 2 days & a single on 2 other days
Cormorant only twice: 5 on Jan 21st & 1 on March 7 – they prefer to be upstream nearer the fishermen…
Kingfisher single on Jan 12th next to a single Greenshank on the same day
Single Dippers on Bull Beck Jan 18th & Feb 26th (Also a single higher up in Brookhouse by the Black Bull on Jan 28th + one at the same site collecting nesting material on Feb 21st.)
Not forgetting the always present ‘feral mob’ of crossbred geese & all the gulls…
