Box End Park WeBS: 20/11/2011

Very foggy this morning with visibility down to ~100m making counting difficult. On arrival at the lake edge had a Kingfisher calling and it flew past, unseen in the fog. Although initially unseen on the spit parties of Lapwing and Black-headed Gulls flew up making counting possible as they circled overhead, in and out of the fog. A Little Grebe was flushed from the edge of the lake as I passed. Meadow Pipits were plentiful with 12 seen but many calls heard in the fog, no Skylarks though. Along the east side of the lake as I approached the north section a wader flushed from the side of the lake some way ahead of me. It didn't call but I suspect it was a Common Sandpiper as there was no flash of white rump which I think I would have spotted despite the poor visibility. I was unable to relocate it further along the lake edge so guess it flew across to the other side. A little further along a Grey Wagtail flushed from the edge and flew past me before settling again. Those were the highlights of a very grey morning, full counts follow:

Black-headed Gull 58    
Cormorant 1    
Great Crested Grebe 1    
Grey Wagtail 1    
Kingfisher 1    
Lapwing 18    
Little Grebe 2    
Mallard 46    
Mandarin Duck 1    
Meadow Pipit 12    
Moorhen 1    
Mute Swan 10 includes 5 juveniles  
Pied/White Wagtail 2    
unidentified wader 1 Probable Common Sandpiper but no call and foggy conditions prevented definitive ID.
Total number of species: 14 Individuals: 155