Cold Weather movement -Barking Outfall November 28th

A massive increase in Wildfowl due to the extreme weather, the Thames locally offering the only source of food due to many of the water bodies being frozen up.

Part of the Outfall

 In particular Tufted Duck in a week have gone from 3 birds to a staggering 387, no Scaup but with the continued cold spell, definitely a possibility.

Tufties on the edge of the mud

 Shoveler, Gadwall and Teal have all massively increased but surprisingly Shelduck numbers were quite low with only 26 birds seen, very likely packed out at Barking Bay.

Black Tailed Godwits were again present with 11 birds feeding on the mud, also had a very high flock of Golden Plover going south west @ 11.45am, numbering around 200 birds, in 2 V formation flocks.          

Shoveler

 Totals from the morning were:

Gadwall – 116

Shoveler – 202

Teal – a massive 515, 400 on the Thames with another 115 down the creek

Mallard – 118

Curlew - 1

Redshank – 129

Also around 40 Pied Wagtails and 5 Grey Wagtails were seen on the Sewage Works.

Grey Wagtail

Redshank