21st March

Common Buzzard: eight birds were seen between 1.35pm and 2.55pm, the largest group saw 3 soaring above the lake at 2.45pm.

Peregrine Falcon: one flew high west.

Sparrowhawk: a pair flew through the Wetland Pen.

Jackdaw: two flew west this afternoon.

Siskin: one flew west.

Gadwall: eleven birds were present on the lake.

Shoveler: there is only one bird left on the lake.

Red crested Pochard: two nests were found this morning.

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The above photos show some of the Common Buzzards seen this afternoon.

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The pair of Kestrels in the Wetland Pen

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Comments

Tiggrx said…
I saw (and poorly photographed) a duck on the lake today which I thought was a Ruddy Duck but it seems to be missing the white cheeks usual for that species. Otherwise brown back, black head and blue bill.
It swam from the reed adjacent to the rail ditch out onto the lake about 1:00.
Any ideas what it could have been?
Hi.

The duck that you saw was a drake Argentinian Ruddy Duck. It escaped from one of the areas that houses the collection birds a few years back. It used to associate with the wild Ruddy Ducks on the lake, unfortunately the DEFRA's hired guns have eradicated all our winter visiting birds.
Tiggrx said…
Thanks - that was what I saw!

I miss watching the Ruddy Ducks 'bubbling' on the lake. The photos I took of them was 2006!