A late Darter and a dead Kittiwake

Sunny, 11°, light SW.

A repeat of Wednesday with both Alan and myself out in the Lollingdon area.

I decided to stick around the flooded field area whilst Alan covered the long ditch and areas around Lollingdon.

Unfortunately I found a dead Kittiwake along the margin of the flooded field, only the 2nd record of this species in Cholsey. The last being in November 1957 also deceased. Would be nice to see a live one here!

A Little Egret commuting between the flooded field and the cattle field and a couple of Raven in the area.

2 Chiffchaff at 2 sites, several Siskin also seen at 2 sites, Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Reed Bunting, a few hundred Starling, a Peregrine, Water Rail, Kingfisher, Sparrowhawk, approx. 50 Pied Wagtail scattered around the wet fields and c250 Lesser Blackback Gull and up to 50 Black-headed Gull.

Dragonflies: a surprise late record of a Common Darter.

Common Darter

Kittiwake

Little Egret courtesy Alan

Little Egret

Pied Wagtail

Buzzard

Storm driven seabirds

A storm driven Kittiwake found in Wallingford - 

http://stuffthatricharddid.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/keeled-over-kittiwake.html

The recent winter storms have caused many seabird casualties with mainly Puffins, Guillemots, Razorbill and Kittiwakes being washed up along coasts in Western Europe, i.e. an estimated 21000 dead birds being found on the French coast so far. The full effect has not been assessed yet but the impact has been massive. The birds that winter in the Bay of Biscay and the western Atlantic have been unable to feed in the stormy weather. More information to follow.

An RSPB article on Puffins -

https://www.rspb.org.uk/news/343346-storms-raise-fears-for-popular-seabird