Linacre Reservoirs- First visit of 2015

It was mild (5 degrees), grey, overcast and very windy first thing this morning, but I decided to get up and get down to Linacre for my first visit of 2015. I'm very glad I did, as I added 16 species to my "Year List", and, more importantly, got some nice records to start off another year of recording at Linacre Reservoirs.

There were a good number of birds out on the water this morning, with the first counts of the year as follows: Mallard (106), Tufted Duck (21), Mandarin Duck (2; 1 male and 1 female), Goosander (7; 6 males and 1 redhead), Moorhen (14), Coot (6), Black-headed Gull (68), Grey Heron (1 on the bottom reservoir) and Cormorant (3, including 1 in full breeding plumage).

Walking back to the car I spotted a couple of Mistle Thrushes feeding in the field along with 6 Redwings and two Fieldfares, while a female Kestrel also flew over the field. All good records to start the year with.

Year List update:

30 – Pheasant

31 - Great Tit
32 – Coal Tit
33 – Long-tailed Tit
34 – Goldcrest
35 – Nuthatch
36 – Treecreeper
37 – Moorhen
38 – Coot
39 – Wren
40 – Mandarin Duck
41 – Tufted Duck
42 – Goosander
43 – Bullfinch
44 -  Great-spotted Woodpecker
45 – Mistle Thrush