A mild but overcast morning saw Keith and I at the London Wetland Centre in search of migrant birds that may have paused here on the way to their wintering grounds and winter visitors that have recently arrived.
The lake by the entrance was uncharacteristically busy with Gadwall, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Mute Swan, Coot and Little Grebe present.
Little Grebe
Then it was onto the Grazing Marsh where there was a flock of European Wigeon along with a feeding Green Woodpecker.
Eurasian Wigeon
Green Woodpecker
The star birds beyond doubt were 2 Jack Snipe which were found roosting on the marsh. These regular winter visitors to the centre are hard to see and we have missed them on a number of previous visits. ‘Oh if you were only here ten minutes ago, a Jack Snipe was sitting in the open’ has been the closest we have come in previous years, but now we were treated to extend and excellent views, one sitting next to a Common Snipe so we could the difference in size, plumage and bill.
Jack Snipe (photo by Don Sutherland -https://www.flickr.com/photos/snapperg/)
Jack Snipe (photo by Don Sutherland -https://www.flickr.com/photos/snapperg/)
After indulging ourselves on Jack Snipe we moved onto the North Lake. On the way we saw a fully winged Mandarin Duck, so not part of the collection.
Mandarin
Arriving at Wildside hide we searched for the Yellow Legged Gull that had been reported, but most of the gulls seem to have departed the reserve and so we were unsuccessful.
Grey Heron
A good day with the Jack Snipe being the star birds. So rare to see even when you know they are present, so a special moment.
Greylag Goose [sp] (Anser anser)
Canada Goose [sp] (Branta canadensis)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca)
Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata)
Gadwall (Anas strepera)
Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope)
Mallard [sp] (Anas platyrhynchos)
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
Eurasian Teal [sp] (Anas crecca)
Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
Little Grebe [sp] (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Great Crested Grebe [sp] (Podiceps cristatus)
Great Cormorant [sp] (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Peregrine Falcon [sp] (Falco peregrinus)
Common Moorhen [sp] (Gallinula chloropus)
Eurasian Coot [sp] (Fulica atra)
Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
Jack Snipe (Lymnocryptes minimus)
Common Snipe [sp] (Gallinago gallinago)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Common Gull (Larus canus canus)
European Herring Gull [sp] (Larus argentatus)
Lesser Black-backed Gull [sp] (Larus fuscus)
Common Pigeon [sp] (Columba livia)
Common Wood Pigeon [sp] (Columba palumbus)
Rose-ringed Parakeet [sp] (Psittacula krameri)
Great Spotted Woodpecker [sp] (Dendrocopos major)
European Green Woodpecker [sp] (Picus viridis)
Eurasian Magpie [sp] (Pica pica)
Western Jackdaw [sp] (Coloeus monedula)
Carrion Crow [sp] (Corvus corone)
Coal Tit [sp] (Periparus ater)
Great Tit [sp] (Parus major)
Eurasian Blue Tit [sp] (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Cetti’s Warbler [sp] (Cettia cetti)
Long-tailed Tit [sp] (Aegithalos caudatus)
Eurasian Wren [sp] (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Common Starling [sp] (Sturnus vulgaris)
Common Blackbird [sp] (Turdus merula)
European Robin [sp] (Erithacus rubecula)
Dunnock [sp] (Prunella modularis)
Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrellii)
Meadow Pipit [sp] (Anthus pratensis)
Common Chaffinch [sp] (Fringilla coelebs)
European Greenfinch [sp] (Carduelis chloris)
European Goldfinch [sp] (Carduelis carduelis)
