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Elmley's Wetland Bird Survey for December 2019

  • 20/12/2019
  • Nature Notes

Over 21,000 birds were counted around the high tide on Monday 11th November during this month's wetland bird survey across our Reserve, as part of over 40,000 across the Swale as a whole! Well done and thank you to all the volunteer surveyors!

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With a wet winter and recent mild weather there are now large flocks across the marshes and esturary mudflats. The shear numbers of lapwing, wigeon and geese and godwits are wonderful to see.

Species Elmley NNR
Spitend Main Marshes Totals
Mute Swan 18 80 98
Great-crested Grebe 6 8 14
Little Grebe 4 2 6
Coot 10 10
Moorhen 0
Water rail 0
Grey Heron 2 7 9
Little Egret 3 1 4
Bittern 0
Spoonbill 0
Great White Heron 0
Cattle Egret 0
Cormorant 3 10 13
Brent Goose 460 11 471
Greylag Goose 1695 562 2257
Canada Goose 85 185 270
Pink-footed Goose 0
Tundra Bean Goose
White-fronted Goose 0
Shelduck 1142 90 1232
Mallard 237 690 927
Teal 612 400 1012
Pintail 0
Gadwall 0
Garganey 1 2
Shoveller 12 12
Tufted Duck 0
Pochard 34 34
Wigeon 1712 4560 6272
Avocet 52 42 94
Oystercatcher 4 85 89
Curlew 82 148 230
Whimbrel 5 5
Bar-tailed Godwit 0
Black-tailed Godwit 1090 1090
Common Snipe 2 2
Grey Plover 55 2 57
Golden Plover 331 200 531
Ringed Plover 30 30
Lapwing 2849 3870 6719
Greenshank 0
Redshank 23 12 35
Green Sandpiper 0
Wood Sandpiper 0
Common Sandpiper 12 12
Knot 6 230 236
Dunlin 75 20 95
Curlew Sandpiper 0
Ruff 1 43 44
Little Stint 0
Turnstone 30 8 38

Totals 9511 12438 21950
Orange tulips