West End: 3 Pochard, 8 Mandarin, 3 Coot.

West End:- A bird ringing session produced a good mix of birds including Chaffinch, Bullfinch, 1cy (calendar year) male Kingfisher, Goldcrest, Robin, Blackbird, Great Tit & Coal Tit. The majority being Blue Tits. All appeared to be in good weight for the time of year.  Plus a flock of 27 Lapwing were seen flying over.

Dam end:- 1 Shelduck mid-reservoir at 8:15am.   West End:- 3 Gadwall, 1 Coot, 2 Egyptian Geese, 38 Carrion Crow.   Whillets Reed-bed Roost count – 14:20 to 16:15:- 106 Reed Bunting came in over the period also 1880 Starling, and again a Sparrowhawk was hunting Starlings coming in to roost. Also 1 Water Rail at reed-bed.

Whillets Meadows Reed-bed roost count from 14:45 to 16:30:-   110 Reed Bunting came in to reed-bed  over that period in singles and small groups,  c1260 Starling came in to roost, the biggest individual flock entering was approx 400 in size, rest entered in much smaller groups. The noise from the reed-bed at the end was amazing with this number of Starlings all chattering. A male Sparrowhawk was around  for awhile and made several attempts to fly through the circling Starling groups and take a bird but only achieving to keep splitting up the group, eventually it gave up and left. … Read the rest

Whillet’s:- Between 15:00 & 16:30 A minimum of 250 Redwing came in to roost along tree line of second meadow and over 500 Starling dropped in to the reed-bed to roost. A small number of Fieldfare were also seen amongst the Redwings flying in. A Tawny Owl & Kingfisher were heard, plus a Buzzard flew over late in the day.

West End:  27 Stock Dove, 4 Egyptian Geese.

WeBS counts + other sightings plus Reed-bed roost count.   ALL RESERVOIR:-  27 GC Grebe, 4 Grey Heron, 4 Egyptian Geese, 20 Mallard + 1 Feral Domestic bird, 2 Buzzard, 6 Moorhen, 2 Kingfisher, 4 Goldcrest, 7 LT Tit, 3 Marsh Tit, 3 Coal Tit, 3 Nuthatch, 5 Chaffinch, 23 Goldfinch, 4 Bullfinch.       DAM END:- 1F Goosander briefly early morning before becoming disturbed and flying off, 60 BH Gull, 3 Common Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 7 Meadow Pipit, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Pied Wagtail, … Read the rest

West End Study area: A very productive morning ringing session with 42 Blue Tit, 6 Coal Tit, 10 Great Tit, 2 Marsh Tit, 6 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Nuthatch, 3 Robin, 1 Blackbird (possibly a continental migrant bird), 1 Redwing, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Goldcrest.

West End:- 2 Egyptian Geese plus 2 more flew high east, 3 Moorhen, 1 Common Gull, 8 Redwings, 2 Marsh Tits.

Reed-bed Roosts:- 155 Reed Buntings and 615 Starlings entered the reed bed in small flocks between 14:40 & 16:30. The large numbers seen yesterday by Alastair failed to appear. Also 1 Moorhen, Water Rail heard, flocks of Wood Pigeons and Redwings were flying over,  many of which were coming in to roost in trees within the meadows. 1 Kingfisher, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Mistle Thrush flyover.