West End:- 34 Canada Geese flew east.
Dam End:- 21 Gadwall.

Ringing in the study area late morning (2/12) until the drizzle arrived, a wintering Chiffchaff was caught. The wing length indicated that it was a male. A number of Blue Tits were caught. They included several re-traps that were full adult birds. They were all of good weight. The heaviest weighed 12g.  Clearly winter feeding is having a positive impact on the birds. Other birds included Great Tit, Coal Tit, Treecreeper and Goldfinch.
Other sighting of note:–  another Chiffchaff and a low-flying, ‘cronking’ Raven over the study area, which was also seen in the hide car park.

A possible Short-eared Owl was seen on the ground along the Dam End of South bank yesterday (1/12/18).
A photographer reported a red-head female type Goosander at the West End (30/11/18).
West End:-  211+1 hybrid Greylag, 1 Canada Goose, 1 Coot, 33 Cormorant, 3 Common Gull, 1 Raven, 10+ Blue Tit & 5+ Great Tit on feeders with Goldfinches, Coal Tit & Nuthatch.
Whillets:-  3 Grey Heron, 5 Mallard, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 1 Moorhen, 1 Kingfisher,  4 Blackbird, 6 Fieldfare, 1 Song Thrush, 2 Mistle Thrush, 10 Redwing, 2 Jay, 1 Treecreeper, 1 Bullfinch, 9 Siskin.

Dam End:- 1 Skylark flew south, 1 Mute Swan, 1 Kestrel, 8 Starlings, 2 Chaffinch, 10 Goldfinch, 20 Redwing, 2 Mistle Thrush, 1 Jay, 1 Treecreeper.
West End:- 45 Lapwings flew West, 20 Gadwall, 5 Teal, 29 Mallard, 2 Pied Wagtail,10 Chaffinch, 20 Stock Dove,1 Mistle Thrush.

West End:- 20+ Black-headed Gull; 2 Blackbird; 4+ Blue Tit; Canada Goose; Chaffinch; 2 Coal Tit; 26+ Cormorant; 3 Goldfinch; 3 Great Crested Grebe; Great Spotted Woodpecker; 3+ Great Tit; 95+ Greylag Goose; Hybrid duck; Jay; Magpie; Marsh Tit; Moorhen; 2 Nuthatch; Pheasant; 2 Stock Dove; Woodpigeon.

Sightings while working on the north bank: Ring-necked Parakeet; 3 Snipe; Kingfisher.

News from The Ringers
A Blue Tit caught at Weir Wood on 22nd November already rung – was originally ringed at Minsmere in Suffolk as a juvenile on 30th August 2018.  It has travelled 173km in 84 days.  An interesting recovery for a Blue Tit.
On 25th November a Red Kite flew over the study area.

Whillets:- 172 Reed Buntings roosted between 13:45-16:00, 3 Teal, 110 Starlings flew NW, 4 Bullfinch.
West End:- 1 Little Grebe, 3 Common Gulls.
Dam End:- 77 Great Crested Grebes.

Whillet’s:- 4 Yellowhammers, 210 Siskins, 37 Goldfinch, 9 Chaffinch, 2 Bullfinch, 4 Mistle Thrush, 12 Song Thrush, 72 Redwing, 80 Fieldfares, 1 Grey Heron, 16 Blackbirds, 1 Kingfisher, 1f Sparrowhawk, 1 Buzzard.
West End:- 259 Greylag Geese, 17 Gadwall, 1 Coot, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Common Gulls.

West End:- In the gloom the only birds of note were 17 Gadwall, 177 Greylag, 1 large white feral duck with a few Mallard.