Dorset - Warmwell Gravel Pits (Silverlake) - Ring Necked Duck on East Lake!

The first winter finch count and WeBS was moved back a day from Sunday as there is a storm due to hit the area overnight. Heavy rain and winds of up to 50mph are expected which would not be conducive to a good count particularly for the finches.

The day was bright and sunny and I logged my first Farm Brambling as it buzzed its way east in front of the Causeway pond. This made me chuckle as Pete had predicted I would add this species to my farm tally having been trained on the call whilst with him in Bulgaria!

The meadows are soggy with the pools expanding in size. A small flock of Wigeon and Teal was noted along with the regular fair of Herons, Egrets, Moorhen and Little Grebe on the ponds. The finches were spread out over the farm but seemed to favour particular areas including the oasis on the farm at Chalk Pit.

A Ring Necked Duck had been found at Silverlake (Warmwell Gravel Pits) by Geoff and Chris during the morning so I popped over there late afternoon to catch up with this American migrant! The Goosander turned up on cue late afternoon!