record shot of Smew
Between 6 and 8 inches of snow covered the marshes today. About 400 Lapwings huddled together as one flock but little else showed on the fields. The ice free parts of the canal still held 60+ Gadwall, hundreds of Coots, 15 Tufted Duck and five Pochard. However at 14.20 a redhead Smew flew in. ( James Diamond saw two later in the afternoon).
On Powderham Marshes there were thousands of birds! I tried counting the skylarks but failed to get an accurate number - well over one thousand. Also hundreds of Brambling and Chaffinches, a few Yellowhammers, Linnets and Meadow Pipits. I saw two Woodlarks but James Diamond saw at least 8 earlier. Alongside the small ditch a single Stonechat and Cettis Warbler were foraging.
Overhead there was a noticeable movement of Common Gulls (c200) throughout the afternoon. They looked smart against the leaden sky. In the trees in the lane I saw a Treecreeper and heard a Chiffchaff.
