Despite a general return to milder weather, numbers of most waterfowl were still holding up over the weekend. Within the Carew/Creswell complex, numbers of wigeon appear to have declined but good numbers of teal were present there (a few hundred) and in the Eastern Cleddau (about 800 at least). Also in the Carew/Cresswell complex there were at least 250 shelduck, 50+ shovelers, 12 pintail, at least 15 black-tailed godwits, c. 1,000 dunlin, at least 1,250 lapwings and a few grey plovers (most of these birds roosting near New Shipping area).
At Bosherston Lakes today, near the old boathouse, there were at least 28-30 tufted ducks feeding near several wigeon and gadwall and a few goosanders.
Most of the gadwall and wigeon were paired up and exhibiting well their well-known Kleptoparasitic traits, by following individual coot around to get free helpings of various aquatic plants. Food noted to be taken by coot (and their shadowing ducks) included at least one or two kinds of algae, Canadian pondweed, spiked water milfoil and at least one small stonewort species (most likely Chara globularis which in 2011 was quite common in the lakes Eastern Arm.
After diving, coot often seem to bring up to the surface more plant material than they can eat in one go - providing quite easy pickings for waiting gadwall and wigeon.
Most of the gadwall and wigeon were paired up and exhibiting well their well-known Kleptoparasitic traits, by following individual coot around to get free helpings of various aquatic plants. Food noted to be taken by coot (and their shadowing ducks) included at least one or two kinds of algae, Canadian pondweed, spiked water milfoil and at least one small stonewort species (most likely Chara globularis which in 2011 was quite common in the lakes Eastern Arm.
After diving, coot often seem to bring up to the surface more plant material than they can eat in one go - providing quite easy pickings for waiting gadwall and wigeon.
0 comments:
Post a Comment