Icy Cold at Little Marlow

The weather said it would feel like the coldest day of the winter so far and they were correct.  The wind was coming from the east and added a severe wind chill to the already freezing temperature!  This sort of weather always add an expectation that something may have dropped in and that was to be the case when I was confronted by 21 Barnacle Geese on the sand spit.  After doing a quick count and checking the legs for rings (none present), I took a few photos and put the news out.  These were all adult birds.
They looked rather unsettled when I appeared in their view and did not stay more than about 10 minutes before they flew off.  However I soon refound them on the Thames side meadows.  Again they were a bit wary and watched closely as a lady and a dog walk past on the footpath about 150 yards away.  After about 10 minutes here they took to the air, circled around and left to the north.  I did not see them again.

While the weather seems ideal for some genuine wild Barnacle Geese to arrive, it is also ideal for naturalised populations to be forced to move around.  I checked the Berkshire Goingbirding website and see that a group of 22 were seen at Moor Green Lakes in December and then 21 on 12th January.  It would be interesting to know if these were all adults and un-ringed.  Anyway they still looked great in their smart plumage in the icy conditions.

Little Marlow GP almost covered in ice.

Barnacle Geese - 21 rather appropriately photographed in a snow flurry.

Feeding briefly on the meadow

Heading NW.

After doing a walk to the river, back up Coldmoorholm Lane and then back into the southern half of the lake, I concentrated on the remaining birds.  Teal numbers have held up well (over 130) but most of the other species of ducks have either left or have been severely reduced in numbers.  So just a handful of Wigeon, Gadwall, Tufted Duck and Pochard.  Three Shelducks remain as does one Black Swan.  The whereabouts of the other Black Swan is unknown.

About 200 gulls of five species were present, mostly Black-headed Gulls, but two colour ringed gulls were present.  The fact that they were stood on the ice at times made reading the rings a little easier.  See photos below.

Colour ringed Herring Gull "Orange Z1NT" on the left and Great Black-backed Gull "White P:82B" in the centre.
The Herring Gull was ringed by the North Thames Ringing Group.
The Great Black-black was ringed on the outer break water at Portland Harbour in June 2015.

Great Black-backed Gull - "White P:82B" - A 2nd winter bird. 

Click image to read colour ring.