Month: December 2017

West End of note:- 2 pairs of Wigeon, 2 Egyptian Geese.
Dam End including Gull roost count:- c1200 Black-headed Gull, 20+ Common Gull, c40 Herring Gull, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 70 Great Crested Grebe, 66 Cormorant, 4 Grey Heron, 2 Mute Swan, 145 Greylag, 94 Canada Geese, 1 Moorhen, 2 Kingfisher, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Pied Wagtail.

A pair of Specsaver reading glasses was found in the hide today. To claim them please send an email to “sightings” here or contact a member of The Committee.

Ringing this morning – another pair of new Bullfinch (first year) indicate that this species may have had a good breeding season.
A single Brambling calling from a tree was an unexpected surprise and worthy of comment regarding sightings.

Whillet’s:- 171 Reed Buntings came in to roost this evening, 2 Chaffinch, 10 Redwings.
West End:- 1 Redshank, 2 Green Sandpipers, 9 Snipe, 83 Lapwing, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Common Gull, 2 Herring Gull, 1 Coot, 207 Greylag Geese, 4 Grey Heron, 6m+5f Gadwall, 17 Teal, 1m Tufted Duck, 1 Mandarin, 4 Chaffinch, 1 Marsh Tit, 13 Starlings, 2 Kingfisher, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Buzzard.
Along Grinstead Lane by Blackland Farm:- 200 Linnet and 2 Bramblings along with 24 Stock Doves and a Kestrel.

Ringing in the study area this morning – 47 birds in total as follows:-
Coal Tit – 3
Blue Tit – 29 (including 4 retraps)
Great Tit – 4 (including 1 retrap)
Marsh Tit – 1 (11th new bird this year)
Long-tailed Tit – 4 (including 2 retraps)
Goldcrest – 2 (both retraps)
Blackbird – 1
Bullfinch – 2 (1 male and 1 female)
Goldfinch – 1
Other sightings of note – 24 Jackdaw, 5 Redwings, Buzzard and Kingfisher.
West End:- 2 Green Sandpiper, 12 Snipe, 1 Redshank, 56 Lapwing, 4 Little Grebe, 150+ Greylag, 25 Mandarin, 8 Gadwall, 1M Pintail, 27 Teal, 4 Tufted Duck, 1 Coot, 1 Pied Wagtail. The usual at feeders.
Whillet’s:- 2 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 1 Green Woodpecker, 3 Fieldfare.
From Bob Johnson, Alastair Gray & Bill Truckle this morning.
West End:- 35 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Mute Swan, 164 + 1 hybrid Greylag Geese, 2 Egyptian Geese, 1 Shelduck, 6 Mandarin, 9 Gadwall, 7 Tufted Duck, 30+ Teal, 1 Coot, 60 Lapwing, 6 Snipe, 1 Redshank, 3 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Gull, 1 Herring Gull flyover, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Wren, 7 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Marsh Tit, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Nuthatch, 1 Jay.
Then Bob Johnson & Alastair Gray saw on fields & bushes opposite lay-by looking towards Step School:- 2 Collared Dove, 2 Song Thrush, 10 House Sparrows, 1m+2f Bullfinch, 2m+1f Yellowhammer. Also Redwing & Fieldfare plus quite a few Brambling, Greenfinch, Chaffinch & Linnet seen further along Grinstead Lane just beyond Blacklands Farm main entrance.

Car park at West End – 10.38 to 11.54:- 212 Greylag Geese, 41 Teal,  22 Mallard, 1m+1f Wigeon, 1m+1f Gadwall, 4 Tufted, 1f Goldeneye, 4 Moorhen.1 Great Crested Grebe. 7 Cormorant, 1 Little Egret, 2 Green Sandpiper, 4 Snipe, 90 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Buzzard overhead, 37 Lapwing.
On feeders:- 1 Marsh, 5 Blue, 4 Great, 6 Long-tailed Tits, 4 Goldfinches, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Also seen:- 1 Robin, 1 Blackbird, 1 Magpie, numerous Pheasants and Woodpigeons.