Birdwatching Trip Report – 17th October 2021

Steve Waite

A calm dawn saw an enjoyable two-hour trip up the Axe Valley under mostly overcast but bright skies. It was one of those mornings that everyone on board could have stayed out for the entire day.

Star bird was a Water Rail, a species often heard during our trips, but very rarely seen. One bucked the trend however and remained in view for about a minute as it unobtrusively crept along a bank just 40 feet from the tram at Black Hole Marsh. The two Kingfishers that were seen during the trip weren’t quite as obliging, offering just flight views.

Many of the usual wintering species were on show, with wildfowl represented by over 70 Wigeon, 40 Teal, ten Shelduck, and two Shoveler. Likewise wading birds were plentiful, with good numbers of Lapwing, Curlew, Black-tailed Godwits and Redshank, seven Dunlin and singles of Greenshank and Common Sandpiper. Five species of gulls included Great and Lesser Black-backed, as well a single Common Gull.

The bushes alongside the track were full of activity, Stonechats were present along the whole length of the track, with almost every patch of shrub holding a migrant Chiffchaff. It was an unusually good trip for corvids too! Although the Jay was heard-only, Magpie, Raven, Jackdaw, Crow, and Rook were all seen allowing for some excellent comparisons.

In total 61 different species of bird were recorded during the trip, please find the full list below:

SPECIES LIST - 17/10/2021
Pheasant Kestrel
Canada Goose Magpie
Mute Swan Jay (heard only)
Shelduck Jackdaw
Mallard Rook
Teal Carrion Crow
Wigeon Raven
Shoveler Blue Tit
Woodpigeon Coal Tit
Water Rail Long-tailed Tit (heard only)
Moorhen Chiffchaff
Oystercatcher Cetti's Warbler (heard only)
Little Grebe Wren (heard only)
Lapwing Starling
Curlew Skylark
Black-tailed Godwit Blackbird
Dunlin Song Thrush
Common Sandpiper Robin
Redshank Stonechat
Greenshank House Sparrow
Snipe Dunnock
Black-headed Gull Pied Wagtail
Common Gull Grey Wagtail
Great Black-backed Gull Meadow Pipit