WINTER WILDFOWL

Amongst the wildfowl at the country park are lots of teal, some giving close views like this nicely patterned male seen swimming nearby in the dyke. Twenty shoveler were also seen on the dyke.

At least 1000 wigeon were feeding in the park fields on a sunny but chilly Thursday 28th. Also in the fields were four fieldfares, stonechat, pair of kestrels, 90 rooks and ten jackdaws.
A peregrine flew over the fields in the afternoon sending the wigeon to seek refuge on the dyke, before it headed north. Possibly the same peregrine flew over the mudflats in the morning as flocks of waders were gathering along the freshly exposed mudflats.

By the pond the little owl was enjoying the morning sun perched in the hedgerow, while 12 goldfinches fed in the alders above. A redwing called from a tall tree.

There wasn't much to see at the park in the pouring rain, sleet and snow during Wednesday 27th. The little owl had the sense to shelter from the cold weather in the little owl nestbox, peering out late afternoon.
Five sanderling and 77 shelduck were of note from the park.

Five greylag geese were in the park's fields on a sunny Boxing Day along with 500 wigeon, 300 brent geese and 150 lapwing. A common buzzard perched on the kestrel tree at the back of the fields late afternoon. At the pond the little egret 10 gadwall and 5 tufted duck were of interest and the little owl was seen by David Wallace.
In the Colne a male red-breasted merganser and five great crested grebes were seen from the Point.