misser Posted December 1, 2014 Report Share Posted December 1, 2014 Don't seem to be seeing the same numbers of wigeon about this season....wondering what the rest of you think....are the numbers not here or have they found somewhere better...or is it just my eyesight failing!....atb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richie10 Posted December 1, 2014 Report Share Posted December 1, 2014 Seen a few more recently, but no way the numbers as previous. Reckon they are spread out with the surface water grazing on fields. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted December 1, 2014 Report Share Posted December 1, 2014 Seen a few more recently, but no way the numbers as previous. Reckon they are spread out with the surface water grazing on fields. Did see several on the estuary today , but I think you have hit the nail on the head with the amount of water on the marshes . Last year was wet but we didn't have the amount of water on the fields then as we have got now and this time last season we did have a lot more Widgeon here by now. but they are forecasting colder weather on the way so hopefully things will improve before long . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hambone Posted December 1, 2014 Report Share Posted December 1, 2014 not seeing many on my local estuary, very quiet for the time of year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GADWALL41 Posted December 1, 2014 Report Share Posted December 1, 2014 Numbers on all duck types way down over here . I have just done a Recce of holding areas this morning and I would say only a 1/3 of usual Wegion Numbers and just 1/4 of Teal Numbers . I have heard some Wegi have gone inland , but the Teal usually stay on the Coast here . No Pins Or Shovs have showed up yet , only a very hard cold spell and then a few storms will tell the true picture over here , Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted December 1, 2014 Report Share Posted December 1, 2014 The marsh I shoot has held far more widgeon than it did last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted December 1, 2014 Report Share Posted December 1, 2014 Heard a got lot on out on the mud on Saturday. The marsh I shoot has held far more widgeon than it did last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berettacocker Posted December 1, 2014 Report Share Posted December 1, 2014 Seen a few more recently, but no way the numbers as previous. Reckon they are spread out with the surface water grazing on fields. +1,drowned worms a favourite with Wigeon. Would only get them on an inland rough shoot on flooded meadows, and would never get them on the flight ponds or splashes at anytime, regardless of them being well fed. Seen fair nos criss- crossing the Crouch in the Foulness/ Roach area. Also lots of teal, and more Brent geese than I've seen for a few years! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richie10 Posted December 1, 2014 Report Share Posted December 1, 2014 +1,drowned worms a favourite with Wigeon. Would only get them on an inland rough shoot on flooded meadows, and would never get them on the flight ponds or splashes at anytime, regardless of them being well fed. Seen fair nos criss- crossing the Crouch in the Foulness/ Roach area. Also lots of teal, and more Brent geese than I've seen for a few years! If only those Brent were Pinks! Mallard numbers were up early season, dropping off now. Seen a fair few Pintail this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted December 1, 2014 Report Share Posted December 1, 2014 I suspect that with the mild weather many wigeon have yet to cross the North Sea and those that have are scattered about inland on flooded meadows. As for eating flooded worms , while doubtless they may eat the odd one I have never seen or gutted a wigeon feeding on anything other than plant matter or rarely hydrobia snails. And over the years I have handled several thousand wigeon alive and as many dead and for 30 years kept them in captivity so have been able to closely watch them from a range of a few yards. When you handle mallard that have been worm feeding they frequently spew worms up and I would expect wigeon to do the same. Unlike any other British duck wigeon are primarly plant eaters during the winter months though they do take large numbers of aquatic insects in late spring and early summer. In contrast mallard , teal and pintail love worms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misser Posted December 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2014 thanks for the comments gents....at least its not my eyes going then....bit of cold weather might bring a few more in....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 Seen a few wigeon but hardly any teal so far.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlennox Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 Got a good mix at Lindisfarne of Wigeon Teal and Pintails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sundodger Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 Loads of wigeon down here in the not so sunny southwest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver pigeon 3 Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 Loads of wigeon down here in the not so sunny southwest Not masses of them North a few miles, still yet to raise the gun to one this season let alone bag one! We do seem to have decent numbers of Teal around though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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