Birding Group Visit to Pennington Flash 8th January 2013
The first day of the new birding group term was to Pennington Flash and we had a very good turn out with most of the group present. We were a bit early so we had a look around the car park where there were saw Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Woodpigeon and Magpie. As we approached the Horrocks Hide we could see a large flock of Lapwings – perhaps a couple of hundred.
At the Horrocks Hide There were a few Shelduck, a single female Goldeneye, twenty Cormorants, lots of Black-headed Gulls and the aforementioned Lapwings who were roosting on one of the islands and rising up from time to time for no obvious reason – like they do. As we left that hide a Jay flew past us and at the Edmonson Hide there were three Grey Herons and some Shoveler, Teal, Tufted Ducks, Mallards, Mute Swans and Magppies in the woods. As we sat scanning the water, a Kingfisher flew in and perched on one of the posts in the middle of the pool, staying there for a few minutes before flying off. There was also a very odd looking bird that was almost completely white and much bigger than the Canada Swan it was associating with.
We dropped in at the Ramsdale Hide but apart from a Goosander and a pair of very strangely yellow Mallards there were only a few Teal and a roosting Shelduck. For the first time in months the path through the woods was open and not inundated so we squelched our way around there and as we reached the bridge we heard – and eventually located – a Song Thrush. In the woods there was also a small flock of Goldfinches and some Long-tailed Tits.
We dropped in briefly at the Lapwing Hide but there were only two Gadwall there and a few Teal. The Bunting Hide was, as usual, good for the woodland birds including Bullfinch and Chaffinch and at least twenty Greenfinch. A Willow Tit was showing well and there were Coal, Blue and Great Tits as well as Blackbirds and Moorhens.
Just as we got done the rain started and remained pretty constant fo the rest of the afternoon.
Bird Sightings : Pennington Flash Environs
| Species | Count |
|---|---|
| Woodpigeon | 1 |
| Magpie | 2 |
| Jay | 1 |
| Blue Tit | 1 |
| Long-tailed Tit | 6 |
| Blackbird | 1 |
| Song Thrush | 1 |
| Robin | 8 |
| Dunnock | 1 |
| Goldfinch | 20 |
Bird Sightings : Horrocks Hide
| Species | Count |
|---|---|
| Shelduck | 1 |
| Goldeneye | 1 |
| Cormorant | 20 |
| Lapwing | 200 |
| Black-headed Gull | 30 |
Bird Sightings : Ramsdale Hide
| Species | Count |
|---|---|
| Shelduck | 1 |
| Teal | 12 |
| Mallard | 10 |
| Goosander | 1 |
Bird Sightings : Tom Edmonson Hide
| Species | Count |
|---|---|
| Mute Swan | 4 |
| Teal | 10 |
| Mallard | 10 |
| Shoveler | 4 |
| Tufted Duck | 10 |
| Grey Heron | 3 |
| Coot | 8 |
| Kingfisher | 1 |
| Magpie | 2 |
Bird Sightings : Teal Hide
| Species | Count |
|---|---|
| Mallard | 10 |
| Shoveler | 6 |
| Tufted Duck | 12 |
Bird Sightings : Bunting Hide
| Species | Count |
|---|---|
| Moorhen | 6 |
| Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon | 6 |
| Blue Tit | 10 |
| Great Tit | 2 |
| Coal Tit | 2 |
| Willow Tit | 1 |
| Blackbird | 4 |
| Dunnock | 1 |
| Chaffinch | 8 |
| Greenfinch | 20 |
| Bullfinch | 12 |
| Reed Bunting | 2 |