Pictures from the work party on 25 July 2017. Clearing the willow trees from the North Bank to encourage water birds and waders. Continuing the tasks started with the volunteers from Southern Water last week.

WeBS All reservoir:- 78 ad +1j Great Crested Grebe (also 3 chicks on an adults back), 23 Cormorant, 13 Grey Heron, 12 Mandarin, 43 Mallard, 2 Moorhen, 21 Lapwing, 55 Black-headed Gull, 16 Common Tern, 3 Pied Wagtail.
Dam End:- 72 Greylag Geese, 23 Canada Geese, 3 Egyptian Geese, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 7 Herring Gull fly over, 1 Sand Martin, 2 Swallow, 12 House Martin, 1 Song Thrush, c150 Jackdaw flyover.
West End:- 1 Tufted Duck, 2 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, Great Spotted Woodpecker heard, 1 Grey Wagtail.

Dam End:- 2 Common Sandpipers
West End:- Great Crested Grebe with 2 grebelings (one on her back), noisy Common Terns, 2 Green and 1 Common Sandpipers, 5 Mandarin that look like fresh juveniles, Swallows
Ringing:- over the last 4 weeks I have caught 14 different adult Reed Warblers in our tiny patch of reeds and 2 juvenile Sedge Warblers.

Our trail camera captured a picture of a Muntjac Deer.

West End:- 2 Green Sandpipers.
Dam End:- 1 Little Egret, 19 Common Terns, 20 Canada Geese, 40 Herring Gulls, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 80+ Black-headed Gulls, 1 Greater Black-backed Gull.

West End:- 1 Buzzard, 2 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 11 Lapwing, 1 Little Egret, 1 Coot, 2 Moorhen, 1 Tufted Duck, 9 Mandarin, Great Crested Grebe with 3 young, 10+ Common Terns with all 8 young terns now successfully fledged, 9 Canada Geese, Reed Warbler heard.

West End:- 3 Great Crested Grebe chicks, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Little Egret, 2 Bullfinch, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Reed Warbler.

West End:- 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Little Egret, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Teal, 17 Common Terns including 8 fledged young, 39 Mallard, 25 Lapwing, 1 Reed Warbler, 2 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 8 Mandarin, 10 Grey Heron, 2 Bullfinch, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 5 Herring Gull, 30 Black-headed Gull, 6 Fallow Deer, 1 Purple Emperor butterfly in car park.
Whillet’s:- 5 Common Blue butterflies, 7 Small Coppers, Alder Moth Caterpillar and Roesel’s Bush-Cricket, 3 Brown Hawkers, 5 Blue-Tail Damselfly & single Emerald Damselfly.1 Slow Worm.

Purple Emperor Butterfly at the car park.

West End:- 2 juvenile Cormorants in nest, 15 Greylag Geese, several Common Tern young have now fledged, 5 Great Crested Grebe nests noted with a 6th under construction,  6 Mandarin, 1 abandoned/lost Mallard chick was swimming around, 1 Teal, 1+1 juvenile Moorhen, 23 Lapwing, 2 Green Sandpiper, Stock Dove heard, 1 Kingfisher, 4 Swallow, Reed Warbler heard, 1 Long-tailed Tit.
Whillet’s:- 1 Buzzard, Song Thrush heard, 2+ Reed Warblers heard, 7+ Whitethroat, 25 Goldfinch, Reed Bunting heard.
A butterfly transect count gave: 44 Gatekeeper, 26 Meadow Brown, 13 Ringlet, 9 Small Skipper, 1 Small Copper, 1 Green-veined White, 1 Large White. Also 1 Emperor & 1 Brown Hawker dragonflies.
PHOTOS see Photos tab ~ West End: – Kingfisher. Whillet’s – Green-veined White butterfly on bramble flowers, Tethredo atra- Sawfly on Hogweed flower, Mother of Pearl moth on its Stinging Nettle food plant.