A great day in the sunshine. Lots of birds with the best being: 2 Brent Geese over the West End headed SW. Also 16
Redpolls, Water Rail near the hide and Stonechat below the dam.

Whillet’s:- 1500-1800 Starlings roosted 3,000 more flew NW towards Hedgecourt, 176 Reed Buntings roosted, 2 Water Rails heard plus a Tawny Owl, 17 Lesser Redpolls flew over as did around 200 Redwings.

West End:-  1m Pochard, 1m+1f Tufted Duck, 2m+1f Mandarin, 150+ Greylag, 2 Egyptian Geese, 1 Buzzard, 52 Black-headed Gull, 100+ Wood Pigeon.
At feeders:- 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Marsh Tit, 1 Coal Tit, 10+ Blue Tit, 3+ Great Tit, Nuthatch heard.

Dam End:- 1 very late House Martin flew west at 11:05, 22 Meadow Pipits in Horse Paddock, 2 Common Gulls.

West End (13,20-14,15):- 84 Greylag Geese, 2 Egyptian Geese, 5 Great Crested Grebe, 9 Mallard, 6 Mandarin 5m 1f, 23 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Moorhen, 4 Pheasants, 63 Black-headed Gulls, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Buzzard, 1 Stock Dove, 120-140 Woodpigeon overflew, On feeders, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Nuthatch, 3 Blue Tit, 2 Great Tit, 2 Marsh Tit one ringed, 1 Robin.

West End:- 20 Mallard, 3 Mandarin, 2 Egyptian Geese, 149 Greylag Geese, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Raven, 3 Buzzard,1m & 1f Sparrowhawks, 300 Woodpigeon, 1 Meadow Pipit, 71 Starlings flew west, 1 Marsh Tit, 2 Fieldfare, 7 Chaffinch.

It is rare to get an overseas recovery on ringed birds. Today we received a recovery on a Chiffchaff that was ringed here on 25/08/18 within the study area. The bird was 1cy. It was found freshly dead on 25/03/19 at Les Vallées, Digulleville, Manche, France a distance of 202 km. Manche is in the Normandy area of France.

Dam End:- 5 Redpolls, 2 Ravens, a Red Kite lingered for a while, Yellowhammer in the meadow where 2 Stonechat were also showing, Marsh Tit and several Goldcrest too.

Whillet’s:- 197 Reed Buntings and 165 Starlings dropped into roost at the reed bed between 14:30-16:40, female Sparrowhawk hunting over reed bed, 1 Snipe high north over reed bed, Water Rail and Tawny Owl heard calling, 1 Kingfisher, 10 Redwings, 6 Chaffinch, 200 Starlings NW, 2 Mistle Thrush, 30 Pheasants around, 1 Migrant Hawker, 1 Pipistrelle Bat.
Dam End:- 300 Goldfinch in Alders, 2 Siskin, 2 Bullfinch, 4 Chaffinch, 4 Lesser Redpoll, 4 Meadow Pipit, 2 Stonechat, 1 Yellowhammer, 2 Raven, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Pied Wagtail, 1 Kestrel, 2 Egyptian Geese, 3 Blackbirds, 48 Starlings, 1 Little Grebe on lagoon.

West End:-  191 Greylag, 2 Egyptian Geese, 12 Mallard, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Marsh Tit, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Nuthatch.