WeBS

I signed up to count waterbirds for the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) on Banks' Pond at Dinnington last year and I have just completed the first 12 months observations.  WeBS is a partnership funded by the BTO, the RSPB and the JNCC.  It has been collecting data on wetland birds since 1947.  Synchronised counts take place every month with 3000 volunteer counters making 40,000 visits each year to 2800 sites.  "Waterbirds" includes wildfowl (ducks, geese and swans), waders, rails, divers, grebes cormorants and herons and counts of gulls and terns are optional.  Many sites are coastal or estuarine or on large inland water bodies so my site is one of the smallest.

I have seen 12 species in the first 12 months, many predictable but one or two surprises.  I haven't been trying to photograph them as many are shy and I have to do much of the observation from the bridle path before entering the site.  The list of birds is: 

Canada goose

Coot

Grey heron

Little grebe

Mallard

Moorhen

Mute swan

Shelduck

Teal

Tufted duck

Wigeon

Woodcock

All except grey heron, shelduck, teal, wigeon and woodcock breed at the site.  Woodcock is the only "wader", although it doesn't do much wading, and I didn't see any gulls or terns.  The only other bird I can remember seeing in the past while looking for other things (especially dragonflies and bumblebees) is greylag goose.  Previously I have only been to the pond regularly in summer so it will be interesting to see what else turns up with regular winter visits.

The mute swans have been very successful this year with eight cygnets.  Here they are in May

and in September.

The adult swans can't leave until the cygnets can fly, later in the year.  The male swan has been very aggressive towards the Canada geese this year and in the end they managed to raise only one gosling.  I don't know whether the swan had anything to do with the demise of the other goslings but I have my suspicions.  Young geese learn to fly much more quickly than swans so I expect they were pleased to be able to escape a few weeks ago.  I wonder if they will try again next year or find somewhere quieter.