Kimmer Lough

My December survey visit to the Kimmer Lough site this morning was remarkable only for the lack of activity.  The lough was about 50% frozen over and the only bird on it was a male Goosander.  A clump of willows held a small group of seven Yellowhammer.  Otherwise, if one ignores the 28 Pheasant, there were only minimal counts of Wren (2), Robin (1), Blackbird (1), Dunnock (1), Meadow Pipit (3), Woodpigeon (1), Chaffinch (2) and Blue Tit (2).

Although there were quite a few corvids - mostly Rooks - on adjoining grazing fields there were none at all on or even over the survey site.  A small group of 26 Starling flew over one of the Bannermoor fields.

Unusually no mammals were seen, although there was some Mole activity along the Bannermoor fence.

The only plants seen with any flower were a patch of Climbing Corydalis (right) and some sparse flowers on some of the Gorse.  But at ground level the Hard Fern was looking healthy, as were the tussocks of the large moss, Polytrichum commune (left) and some clumps of Green-ribbed Sedge (Carex binervis) (below - photo taken in spring)