Month: August 2018

Work on the Dipping Pond in Whillet’s Meadow – creating a new inlet silt trap.

Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull at the Dam End.

Dam End:- 1 Wheatear, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Little Egret, 1 Mute Swan, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls + 1 juvenile, 1 Lapwing, 2 Herring Gulls, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Mandarin, 1 Kestrel.
West End:- 1 Great Egret, 2 Ravens, 1f Tufted Duck, 75 Great Crested Grebes, 60 House Martin, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Bullfinch, 5 Lapwing, 187 Greylag Geese, 2 Kingfisher, 6 Swallows, 52 Mallard, 3 Mandarin.
Whillets:- 4 Bullfinch, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 1 Marsh Tit, 1 Reed Warbler, 3 Holly Blues, 2 Small Coppers, 8 Common Blues, 5 Migrant Hawkers, 2 Southern Hawkers, 1 female Beautiful Demoiselle, 3 Common Darters, 1 Blue-Tail Damselfly.

Please see the note HERE about access and no-go areas at the Dam End.

Dam End:- 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Common Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Bullfinch, 2 Grey Wagtail, 5 Chiffchaff, 14 Blue Tit, 2 Kestrel, 2 Buzzards, 210 Black-headed Gull, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Mute Swan, 2 Egyptian Geese, 16 Grey Heron, 4 Lapwing, 8 Sand Martin, 25 House Martin.
West End:- 220 Greylag Geese, 1 Little Egret, 6 Lapwing, 40 House Martin, 4 Sand Martin, 20 Swallows, 5 Mandarin.
Whillets:-1 juv Stonechat, 4 Common Whitethroat, 55 Goldfinch, 2 Bullfinch, 2 Reed Bunting, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Kingfisher, 9 Grass Snakes, 3 Toads.

This morning in the study area we ringed a number of Chiffchaff and Blackcap – as would be expected at this time of year. A couple of juvenile Goldcrests showed different stages of juvenile moult. One had only the very beginning of a crest; the other had sufficient crest to be able to sex (photo).  Other species included: Great Tit, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Wren and Dunnock. All were juveniles.
A fly-over by a single cronking Raven was nice first thing. A Kingfisher flew along the edge of the reservoir several times.

West End:- 1 Coot + 2 well grown Juveniles, 2 Ravens, 1 Little Egret, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Kingfisher, 6 Lapwing, 105 Greylag Geese, 66 Canada Geese, 92 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Reed Warblers, 3 Willow Warblers, 14 Chiffchaffs, 1 Sand Martin, 22 House Martin, 1 Swallow, 3 Buzzards.

West End, Car Park, 10.09-11.38:- 153 Greylag Geese. 92 Canada Geese. 2 Feral Geese. 81 Great Crested Grebe. 24 Mallard. 3 Mandarin. 4 Grey Heron.1 Little Egret. 2 Moorhen. 25 Black-headed Gulls. 27 Cormorant.  3 Lapwing. 10 House Martin. 1 Swallow. 1 Sand Martin. 1 Stock Dove. 1 Kingfisher. 1 Blue Tit. 1 Terrapin basking on tree.

Our work parties replaced the picnic bench in the car park area and improved the dipping pond in Whillet’s Meadow.

3 Ospreys – adult plus 2 young – at The Dam.