DRAKELOW NATURE RESERVE: W/E 17th November 2019.
FLOOD POOL ON SERVICE ROAD: The condition of the flood pool has worsened over the week since the last blog on the 10th November. To make matters worse the reserve has been invaded by the River Trent for the third time in seven weeks! If you do attempt a visit be sure that your vehicle can traverse from six to ten inches of water. On the reserve it is advisable to stick to the two hides by the CP and to view the secondary lagoon from the memorial bench by the plantation of Beech trees. At the time of the last visit (17th) the Causeway was under water and the level was still rising. A Cormorant count was carried out by the writer on the 16th and the total of 91 birds was very low when set against November counts of the last few years. However, this is the only count since mid-October when several would have normally been carried out. The full wildfowl count, carried out on the 17th, gave seven Little Grebes; four Grey Herons; six Mute Swans; two Egyptian Geese; two Mandarins; 42 Mallards; 27 Teal; eight Wigeon; 17 Shovelers; 30 Gadwalls; 18 Pochard; 35 Tufted Ducks; five Goldeneyes; two Goosanders; Long-tailed Duck and Hooded Merganser. Making up the rest were ten Moorhens; 24 Coots; two Water Rails; 66 Black-headed Gulls; two Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a Kingfisher. In the wooded areas several Tawny Owls were calling.
With thanks to AG.