Whites

A quick trip to the pits....several White-fronted Geese had been reported a couple of weeks ago or so....and been re-reported yesterday to  me by JK...

I decided the best approach to the pits is now from Golden Green, down the footpath direct to West Pit....as this now holds most of the birds anyway....

Walking down the footpath and crossing the first planted field, I think its beet, produced 3 Skylarks....

At East Lock there were a few Blackbirds accompanied by a couple of Song Thrushes....

At West Pit the 5 White-fronted Geese were duly on the pit with approximately 180 Greylag and 3 Canada Geese....a Buzzard was sitting in a tree at the south-west corner of the pit...

I had forgotten how much they have ruined the pit actually....looking around the south and west banks have now completely changed profile....the southern edge used to be a good place to look for Snipe, good cover and a shallow edge has now been turned in to no cover and a steep edge....the western side has also had the same treatment and I cant imagine any Sandpipers using it in the near future....im sure the cover will return and hopefully the edge will mellow over time....but for now its hopeless...

Also present were 3 Pochard, about 20 Gadwall and plenty of Tufted Ducks and Coot...

I briefly looked at Middle Pit but couldn't find any Goldeneye.....there was a Little Egret and Grey Heron....several Cormorant and 10 Shoveler…..there were also 4 Common Gulls...

Island Pit was very quiet and I could only add 3 more Shoveler to the total....13....which is pretty poor for the winter.....I also found another Pochard....

On the way back the geese were flying out to the field just north of the pit to feed.....

Back at East Lock about 50 Fieldfare were present in the trees....and the Skylark were again calling in the fields just north of the lock.

One thing is for sure....with no work being undertaken, clearing back Willow etc, the pits will slowly fill in till the viewing becomes difficult...maybe too difficult....but there it is....maybe then the birds will be left alone and at peace....