We Are Family

There was the potential of a superb high tide watch at Connah’s Quay this morning with thousands of waterfowl – including a family party of Whooper Swans – on the Dee channel, no doubt forced to congregate on water’s edge by the frozen marsh.

Until, that is, two wildfowlers appeared from the White Sands area and proceeded to walk along the tide line and take pot shots at the assembled birds. Given the freezing temperatures, their lack of willingness to take cover and the fact that they had no dogs made the whole episode somewhat crass and distinctly unsporting. It reminded me of the rather deranged Amon Goeth in Schindler’s List, whom delighted in taking random shots at the concentration camp prisoners.

Not wanting to witness anymore of this rather unsavoury spectacle I decided to move to Inner Marsh Farm for the afternoon. The pools were of course completely frozen and for the first thirty minutes I was restricted to watching a couple of hale looking foxes prowling around the margins.

Then, a cracking adult female Hen Harrier cruised over the back of number one pool flushing up a number of Snipe – including one possible Jack Snipe. It remained for ten minutes or so when it was joined by a juvenile Spoonbill that flew in from over the wood and circled over the pools as if looking for a spot of water to land on, before eventually settling for the causeway.

A few other bits and bobs included a Stonechat and a handful of Pinkies with a brace of Whooper Swans behind the border pool. The ‘big freeze’ or ‘winter’ as I seem to remember it being called is certainly engendering big movements of birds currently – surely something really exciting is just around the corner…

Connah’s Quay NR 04.01.10

Whooper Swan 7
Wigeon c3,000
Teal c2,500
Raven 2
Kingfisher 1

Inner Marsh Fram 04.01.10

Spoonbill 1 (Juv)
Pink-footed Goose 7
Whooper Swan 2
Hen Harrier 1 (Adult female)
Stonechat 1
Snipe 15+
Linnet c50
Siskin 1

Until later.