The Severn continues to drop (8.20m at Haw Bridge), but floodwaters are moving only slowly off the meadows, because there are few outlets back to the river. This morning, most of the floodwater left on the meadows was iced over, but there were several areas of open water, kept open overnight by the considerable numbers of ducks present.
Coombe Hill: Good views from the towpath of birds round the single large hole in the middle: 2 Mute Swans, 42 Greylags, about 2000 Wigeon and 2200 Teal (rough estimates, the birds being shoulder to shoulder and very close together), 148 Mallard, 30 Gadwall, 185+ Pintail, 33 Shoveler, 10 Tufted Ducks, 2 Pochard, 1 Goldeneye, 92 Coot, 1 Snipe.
Cobney /Leigh Meadows: Roughly 2000 ducks round a distant gap in the ice appeared to be largely Wigeon; 12 Shelducks.
Ashleworth Ham: All fairly close to the hides: 16 Mute Swans, 300 Wigeon, 400 Teal, 150 Mallard, 15 Gadwall, 20 Pintail, 40 Shoveler, 1 Peregrine.
Thus, still no sign of Whooper or Bewick’s Swans, nor of really large numbers of Pintial. But really good numbers of Wigeon (4000 ish) and Teal (2500 ish).